Road Less Traveled
by ephiny63
Summary: COMPLETE Follow on from Two Hunters and a Baby, Sam and baby Mickie have gone missing, Dean has a mission to complete if he wants to see his family again. hurt!limp!Sam, hurt!limp!Dean, angst and a cute toddler
1. Chapter 1

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do??? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**Author's Note:** Just wanted to say YAY to Channel 10 here in Australia, they are actually going to have Supernatural back before next year. Yep they are going to stream the eps and are only going to be 2 weeks behind, WOOHOO! Finally, they have seen the light, and we're spreading the love.

CHAPTER ONE

Dean closed his cell phone and turned to face a sleeping Sam, for the first time in over a week he was actually sleeping throughout the night without a nightmare. Chewing his lip he pulled out the tiny photo hidden in his wallet and couldn't help but smile, the two most important people in his life stared back at him. Sam laughing and smiling as Mickie rode on his shoulders her tiny hands twisted in his hair, the photo taken at Mickie's first birthday party, the last time they had seen her.

Suddenly he had to get out of the stuffy motel room; glancing over at Sam again, he quickly wrote a scrawled note for Sam, grabbed his jacket and keys and hurried out before he changed his mind. He had to get out and think.

--------------

'Dean?' Sam yawned and stared around blearily at the messy motel room, 'Dean?' blinking rapidly he untangled himself from the sheets and got up slowly, a piece of paper drifted to the floor. Bending down to pick it up Sam frowned as he saw a shadow pass behind him; knowing that it wasn't his brother he felt under Dean's pillow as he slowly started to stand. His fingers grazed the hilt of Dean's knife when he felt a stinging on the back of his neck; automatically he reached up to touch the offending area when his vision blurred and he swayed drunkenly, the room suddenly seemed to shrink and expand in one smooth motion. 'Dean?' He croaked, the knife slipped from his lifeless fingers and his knees buckled, he collapsed facedown onto the faded and worn carpet.

-----------------

'Sammy? Yo Sammy you up yet?' Dean called as he let himself into the motel room balancing two cups of coffee and a bag of sticky sweet donuts. 'Sam?' He dropped the bag and put the coffee down on the table as he took in Sam's unmade bed, 'hey Sam you in the bathroom?' Dean pushed at the bathroom door and stared in at the empty room, no signs of steam or dampness. Frowning Dean turned back into the main room and stared around looking for any clues to where his brother might be.

All colour drained from his face as he picked up his knife off the floor and stared down at the crumpled note.

'Back to Black' screeched from Dean's pocket and he absently pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, 'What?'

_'Dean? Dean it's Rachel.'_

'Rachel? What's wrong?'

_'Dean ... it's Mickie ... she's missing.'_

'What? Rachel did you say Mick-Mickie's missing?'

_'I am so sorry Dean, I put her down for her nap and when I went to check on her ... oh God Dean I am so, so sorry.'_

'Rachel ... Sam – Sam's missing too, I went out for coffee and he was still asleep I got back and ... He was gone.'

_'Oh God Dean what's going on?'_

'Dunno but we're going to find out Rachel. Listen umm I'll call you soon I just have to...'

_'I-I know oh and Dean I am really sorry.'_

'Yeah I know same here Rachel; I'll talk to you soon.' As Dean closed his phone, it beeped with a txt message alert. Frowning he clicked on it and stared down at the picture slowly morphing into a solid image on the small screen. 'What the fuck?'

An unconscious Sam with little Mickie lying next to him appeared, the only good thing was that neither showed any injuries.

The ring tone made him jump and he answered with a terse 'What?'

_'Ah Dean Winchester, long time and all of that.'_

'Who is this?'

_'All in good time, I take it you got your little family portrait.'_

'If you hurt them I swear I will ...'

_'Yeah, yeah I know heard it all before ... we're going to play a little game.'_

'No games just tell me what you want.'

_'Oh and ruin all of my fun? For shame Dean for shame.'_

'Listen you ...'

_'Oh alright I will give you a teaser.'_ The voice became muffled for a few seconds and then, _'D-Dean?'_

'Sammy? Oh God Sammy are you alright?'

_'I – I'm not sure.'_ Sam stammered out, confusion clear in his voice.

'Sam what is it?'

_'F-feel st-strange.' _

'Mickie?'

_'She's ... kay.'_

Sam's words started to slur making Dean's panic meter explode, 'Sam?'

_'D-Dean we're o-okay.'_ Sam forced his words out, _'M-Mickie's ... with ... m-me.'_

'I'm coming to get you Sammy.'

_'Oh such a touching moment.'_ The voice returned, effectively silencing Sam.

'What's wrong with my brother?' Dean snarled.

_'Oh that, nothing it'll wear off, it seems that it took more sedative than we thought to_ _lay your brother out.'_

'I am so going to kill you slowly.'

_'Listen to me carefully Dean, your daughter's and brother's lives depend on how well you perform.'_ The voice sniggered making Dean's panic change to a quiet rage. He felt his body still, everything go quiet around him and his breathing slow and even. A quiet rage. In the background, he heard Sam's distinctive scream. 'What do you want?'

_'In the morning a package will arrive giving you directions and instructions, you are allowed to receive help from one person and one person only. You will be watched and if you stray from your objective then I am afraid that more of this will happen.'_ Dean heard Sam scream again, and his blood ran cold. 'Fine you bastard, now you do one thing for me and tell me who you are.'

_'Fine, fine take all of my fun will you ... I am sure that you will remember me, I mean how could you forget the sweet mother of your daughter? Merci? Ah she was such a beauty.'_

'Cornase ...'

_'Ah bravo Dean, see you are smarter than people say.'_ Cornase taunted Dean.

'I thought we dusted you.'

_'Ah sorry ... not enough dear boy, I'm baaaack.'_

Dean snapped the phone shut and threw it against the wall; it bounced down onto the bed and lay there thankfully undamaged. Picking it up Dean ran a shaking hand through his hair and then pressed speed dial, knowing the only person he could trust with this.

--------------------------

Sam groaned and pulled himself up a little higher on the bed, with his right wrist cuffed to the bedhead, it was hard to manoeuvre himself into a comfortable position but it was better than before. He stared down at the little blond head lying on the pillow next to him and tears threatened to fall. He could put up with a lot of punishment physically but hurting an innocent child that was too much.

'Hey little princess, wow you've grown.' He whispered stroking the downy soft hair with his free hand, 'you look so much like your Dad.'

'Nice to see you awake Sam long time and all that ... so how's the ribs?'

'Fine thanks how bout yours?' Sam quipped back slipping his arm protectively around his niece.

'Oh fine, fine, so how's things?'

'What do you want Cornase?'

'Ah you do remember me then?'

'How could I forget?' Sam asked, 'you're pretty unforgettable ... and not in such a good way.'

'Not nice to talk like that ... after all I would hate anything to happen to that sweet little child.'

'Leave Mickie alone.'

'Mickie? I thought that her name was Issy ... tsk, tsk.' Cornase mocked Sam, 'now aint she an angel sleeping so soundly.'

'What did you do to her?' Sam snarled looking down at his niece next to him. 'What did you give her?'

'Oh nothing that will hurt I assure you, just will keep her nice and quiet while we have a chat Sammy.'

'The name is Sam.'

'So Sammy it's like this, you are going to sit on the edge of the bed and let me handcuff you properly and we're going to take a walk so we don't disturb the little angel.'

'I'm not leaving her alone.'

'Got no choice in the matter Sammy.'

'Don't call me that, no one except Dean gets to call me that.' Sam snapped sliding his long legs over the side of the bed he sat up awkwardly, holding his aching side.

'So Sam I see that we are going to co-operate, good for you.'

'Shit I forgot just how much you love to talk.' Sam sniped earning himself a sharp slap across the face, snapping his head sideways. A new bruise to add to his growing collection.

Cornase squeezed the cuffs closed around Sam's wrists making sure that they were too tight and cut into his skin. 'Can't have you too comfortable can we?'

'What do you want?'

'You see we're going to make a short phone call.' Cornase grabbed Sam's upper arm and dragged him out of the room, leaving the sleeping baby unmoving on the bed.

'Sit there and shut up until I tell you to speak.' Cornase ordered shoving Sam onto a wooden long-backed chair, swiftly he bound his prisoner with a length of rope effectively immobilising him and then he pulled out a syringe from his pocket and waved it threateningly in front of Sam's eyes. 'Ah such pure fear Sam, I can see it in your eyes. This, this is just a little thing that will ensure your co-operation during the phone call.'

'Keep that away from me.'

'Aw so I miss all of the fun?' Cornase smirked as he injected the contents into Sam's corded neck. As the icy cold drug surged through his blood stream Sam's back arched and he let out a long primal roar, as the pain became excruciating within seconds. Suddenly as fast as the drug hit, the effects took completely, Sam's head slumped to his chest as the world started to concertina in front of him, undulating and swirling the colours filling his senses pricking a nauseous reaction in his stomach.

'Wh-what d-did you?' Sam stammered trying to formulate the question and getting the words out.

'Oh just a little goody I developed, trippy aint it.' Cornase giggled as he pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, 'recognise this Sammy? Coz it's yours.' He wangled the phone in front of glassy unfocused eyes and laughed even louder. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down enough to make the important phone call.

Sam tried to concentrate on the phone call Cornase was on but all he could hear was a buzzing sound that started to get louder by the second. Suddenly the phone was held up at his ear and he could hear his brother's voice.

'D-Dean?'Sam pushed his brother's name out, unsure of anything as the drugs kept pushing their way through his body.

_'Sammy? Oh God Sammy are you alright?'_

'I – I'm not sure.' Sam stammered out, confusion clear in his voice now, was it just a trick of the drugs?

_'Sam what is it?'_

'F-feel st-strange.' Sam mumbled shaking his head but that just made the buzzing worse.

_'Mickie?'_

'She's ... kay.' Sam slurred his energy almost spent, _oh God it is Dean_ but he can't tell him what he needs to. The words just won't come.

_'Sam?'_

'D-Dean we're o-okay.' Sam forced his words out, 'M-Mickie's ... with ... m-me.'

_'I'm coming to get you Sammy.'_

Oh such a touching moment.' Cornase snatched the cell away from Sam's ear and kept taunting Dean, Sam frowned he had to ... Sam screamed as he felt a white-hot pain flare in his knee. He could hear the bones snapping and crunching, the agony made him start to retch violently, another blow came to the same knee and then he screamed until he passed out.

Opening his eyes slowly Sam felt little hands squeezing his nose and patting his face, 'Mmm Mickie?' With his awareness, slowly returning Sam looked up at the chubby face hovering over him. 'Uncsammee?' She squealed hitting his eyes, 'wakey.'

'Yeah sweety Uncle Sam's awake.' He muttered, gritting his teeth against the pain flaring throughout his body and the heavy fog filling his mind. 'Damn it must've been some strong shit.'

'Sh...i...it.' Mickie grinned widely at her uncle her green eyes sparkling, 'up?'

'Ah hang on sweety.' Sam grimaced as he tried to pull himself up a little more and then pushing down on the pain, he scooped Mickie up into his arms and hugged her tight. 'Uncle Sam's missed you baby.'

'Kiss.' She smooched his cheeks sloppily, 'hugs.'

'Ah Mickie now we just need your daddy here.'

'Daddad?' Mickie blinked and looked around, 'Daddad?'

'Ah I'm sorry baby I am so sorry.' Sam hugged the baby tightly, noticing the shake in his hands; he put her down on the bed next to him, his arm wrapped around her protectively. 'Uncsammee booboos?' She cooed her lower lip trembling.

'How do you do that Princess?' He mused, 'hey shh it's okay Mickie, Uncsammee's fine.'

'Hungy.' Mickie declared dropping on her bottom, her lower lip trembling even harder as she built up her wail, 'hungy.'

'Ah sweety I know.' Sam picked her up and cradled her against his chest, immediately calming her down.

'Aw aint that just so sickly sweet!' Cornase snarled as he came into the room followed by a woman carrying a tray and Mickie's nappy bag. 'Put it on the foot of the bed and leave.'

'What do you want Cornase?'

'Well if your brother does as he is told then, I will tell you.' Cornase teased Sam, 'how's the knee?'

Sam opened his mouth to retort but then remembered he had a little girl to look after and instead completely ignored Cornase; and focused on changing her bottom and then he gave her the bowl of soft vegetables and the bottle of warm milk.

'Atta girl.' He chuckled as he heard a loud burp and a happy sigh, 'sh Mickie that's my girl.'

'Aw you'll make a wonderful wife and mother one day soon Sammy.' Cornase mocked his prisoner, 'Betty take the baby to her nursery, Sam and I need to talk.' Cornase ordered the woman noticing the baby finally went to sleep.

'No way she stays with me.' Sam tightened his grip on the sleeping child, but trapped with the weight of the baby and his own injuries Sam couldn't do anything when he saw Cornase cruelly squeeze his smashed knee trying to stifle his painfilled cry Sam felt the blackness rising.

'Take the child.' Cornase ordered the woman again as Sam collapsed back onto the pillows. The woman with greying hair and soft grey eyes gently lifted Mickie from Sam's now slack arms and cradling her against her breast hurried from the room.

'Oh Sammy you don't get to fall asleep yet.' Cornase smirked, slapping his prisoner's face repeatedly, 'wakey, wakey Sammy we got some playing to do.'

----------------------

Dean sat staring at the large envelope in his hands, dark circles ringing his dull eyes proof of his sleepless night, he could still hear Sam's screams even hours later. Sharp knocking pulled him out of his reverie and Dean dragged himself to answer the door.

'Dean? Lad ah look at you.'

'Hey Bobby.' Dean said stepping back, he let his friend and mentor into the room, 'sorry it ...'

'What happened Dean?'

'Cornase is still kicking.'

'I – I thought that you had sent that shit-eater back to hell.' Bobby grumbled.

'Yeah so did I, so yesterday I shot out for coffee and let Sam sleep, he's had so many nightmares lately.'

'Dean?' Bobby looked across at the young man perched on the opposite bed, surrounded by crumpled sheets.

'Huh?' Dean blinked at Bobby and then visibly shook himself. 'Ah yeah, when I got back Sam was gone, I – I knew that someone or thing had taken him coz I found my knife on the floor but then got a call on the cell.'

'Cornase?'

'Yeah he texted me this picture.' Dean showed Bobby the photo of Sam and Mickie still saved on his cell, 'then he rang and started to ... he let Sam talk ... he drugged him or something but when he took the cell back he ... he hurt Sammy I could hear him screaming.'

'Ah hell Dean, what does the freak want?'

'It's all in there, I just got it, haven't even ... he has the only two people I live for Bobby what if?'

'No what ifs Dean, now suck it up and let's open that envelope.' Bobby said gruffly, his own emotions sounding in his voice.

Dean opened the package with trembling hands; three photos tumbled out first, and then a letter and a smaller package. The colour drained from Dean's face when he stared down at the photos silently passing them to Bobby.

The first one was Sam tied to the chair, blood dribbling down his face and his chest where the ropes cut him. but it was Sam's knee that drew Dean's gaze. The jeans leg shredded and bloodstained and the joint so swollen it protruded through the material. The second was of Sam cradling a sleeping Mickie and the third was Sam tied spreadeagled on a bed, his upper body littered with bruises and cuts, his face distorted with so many injuries and what appears to be a broken cheekbone.

Retching violently Dean lunged towards the bathroom, only just managing to get to the toilet before he dispelled the small amount of food still in his stomach.

'Ah fuck!' Dean wiped his face and staggered back to the main room, 'where's Mickie? She was only in one of the new photos.'

'He's probably got her separate from Sam to make sure that ...'

'that he doesn't fight back.' Dean finished for him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do??? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**Author's Note:** Just wanted to say YAY to Channel 10 here in Australia, they are actually going to have Supernatural back before next year. Yep they are going to stream the eps and are only going to be 2 weeks behind, WOOHOO! Finally they have seen the light, and we're spreading the love.

* * *

CHAPTER TWO

Sam watched through slitted eyes, pretending to be unconscious, he was still tied spread-eagled to the bed, his body screamed for release from the pain and stiffness but he kept it down, pushing into the dark recesses of his mind. He had to find out what Cornase was up to; if he had to play possum and swallow the pain then that was what he was going to have to do.

'What is he doing?' Cornase spoke into a phone his back to Sam, but his voice was clear, 'who does he have with him?'

Sam managed to keep his face still and empty of emotion as he listened to the one-sided conversation.

'Fine and the package arrived without worry?' Cornase glanced over his shoulder at Sam for a second before smirking and then turned back to concentrate on what was being said to him, 'good and yes the deal breaker is almost ready ... Yes, yes I understand that ... no he will be pliable the drugs are working ... No ... Yes he will be addicted before the transaction will be completed.'

A cold chill filled Sam and he let out an involuntary gasp, Cornase hung the phone up and turned to face his victim, 'nice to see you back in the land of the living Sammy.'

'What ... what did you do to me?' Sam blinked and focused on Cornase's face, there was something so terribly off that it made Sam's skin crawl, 'where's Mickie?'

'Ah so many questions, you must learn patience dear boy.' Cornase grinned maliciously as he produced another syringe out of his pocket, 'hmm time for you next dosage.'

'I-I ... please no.' Sam tried to pull away from the shining needle but the restraints only cut deeper into his already abused flesh. 'I'll do what you want just no more.'

'Hmm now there is a thought ... nope can't do it, I have orders that I have to fulfil.'

Sam frowned at that statement, if Cornase wasn't pulling all of the strings then who was. 'What ... who?'

'Need to know Sammy boy need to know.' Cornase plunged the needle into Sam's neck as he spoke, 'that's a boy just let the drugs do their thing, relax that's it.'

Sam felt the drugs explode in his system and that now familiar concertina effect before the confusion reigned. He had to keep focused; he had to keep Mickie safe.

'Good, good untie him and clean him up he stinks.' Cornase orders fell heavily on Sam's hearing but the words made no sense, he barely felt the hands manhandling him off the bed and drag him out of the room. He tried to register the fact that they stripped him and tossed him into a shower cubicle the ice-cold water becoming scolding hot in seconds. Spluttering under the water he tried to clear his fogged mind but the more he tried the harder it became. Lost in his pain and confusion Sam never felt the hands pull him out of the shower, and never felt the hands poking and prodding check his injuries, not caring how much it hurt him.

Clad only in a pair of loose fitting sweat pants Sam felt himself dragged back to the bedroom and thrown into the room this time though they didn't bother to tie him to the bed or handcuff his hands.

A soft crying pushed through the mists and made Sam try to focus on the direction where it was coming from, crawling awkwardly with his swollen knee refusing to bend, and with his head down he finally crossed the small bedroom and found the source of the tears.

'Mickie shh it's okay Uncle Sammy's here.' He picked the toddler up with shaking hands and cradled her close to his chest, she snuggled close to him and her sobs eased to the occasional hiccup. 'Ah baby sh we'll get out of this I promise.' Sam sighed and squeezed his eyes shut, 'as soon as the world stops spinning and changing shape on me.'

'Uncsammee booboo?' Mickie pulled her little face up and level with Sam's, her chubby fingers twisting in his hair. 'Uncsammee play Mickie?'

'Ah baby Uncle Sam feels sick.' Sam felt his stomach twisting and churning, 'don't feel so good.' Sam barely heard his niece's cry as he slumped unconsciously against the wall. Mickie patted Sam's face and tried to pull his hair hard but nothing would wake him up.

--------------

Dean paced the motel room resembling a wild animal caged, lethal, feral and primal, his muscles rippled as he tensed and relaxed his fists. 'We need to find out where they are Bobby, I can't do this again, last time ... last time he had Sammy and Mickie ... damn it all to hell Bobby.'

'Dean ah ... oh crap Dean I think we have a visitor.' Bobby nodded his head to behind him, spinning around Dean stared into a very pretty face one he thought that he would never see again. 'Azuraus? Az?'

'Hey Dean close your mouth if you don't want to catch flies.' Az smiled and pecked a kiss on his cheek, 'sorry I didn't get here sooner but I kinda got tied up ... literally.'

'Dean?' Bobby stared at the spirit with a mixture of mistrust and curiosity.

'Oh sorry Bobby this is Azuraus ... Az this is Bobby Singer I don't think you guys met properly last time.' Dean countered quickly knowing that except for himself, Sam and Mickie, everyone who met Azuraus wouldn't remember her, it was a simple fact of her status as an animal spirit.

'Hey Bobby.' Az smiled and touched his face lightly chuckling softly at the blush forming on the craggy features. 'So what happened to Sam and ... oh Gods Dean Cornase got out didn't he?'

'He has Sam and Mickie ... Az we have to get them out of there something is so wrong this time.'

Quickly he explained to Az what was going on although Dean had a sneaking suspicion that she already knew most of it and then he finally showed her the pictures.

'Oh Gods Sam.' Az breathed when she saw the condition of the young man. 'Dean I can't get a reading on Sam, it's like there's something barring me, ah something not natural.'

'The drugs.' Dean muttered blinking has he realised he said it out loud, 'they have been giving Sam this drug ... he said it made him hurt and feel funny.'

'Okay, so I have to work on zeroing in on Mickie, one thing I don't understand Dean.' Az looked at him and then at Bobby before turning her attention back to Dean, 'I can understand in some sick way why Cornase took Sam to get back at you but ... why bother with Mickie? She's a baby and it's not like he has Merci with him anymore.'

'Good point, listen Az do whatever you do and find my daughter and brother please?' Dean hated the sound of begging he employed in his voice but he was beyond desperate.

Az flittered in view for a few seconds and then she disappeared leaving two very confused hunters staring at the empty space. 'Well she could have said goodbye.' Dean quipped.

---------------

Mickie giggled and stopped crying when she saw Az appear next to her, the toddler immediately felt safe again, 'Uncsammee.' She wailed, 'wake up.'

'Sh Mickie, let Az have a look at him.' The spirit whispered as she took in the extent of Sam's injuries and his apparent drugged state. 'Oh Sam I am so sorry.'

'Az.' Sam mumbled 'save Mickie please.'

'Sam no, no I can't leave you like this.' Az brushed her fingers down his face lightly tracing the fractured cheekbone and then his bruises, 'I have to get you both ...'

'No, no ... can't go.' Sam pushed the words out of his own unresponsive body, 'take Mickie to ... to Dean Az.' Sam slumped down the wall, his energy levels spent.

Az frowned and stared at him for a moment desperately wanting to help him, but not wanting to be found out by Cornase she took Mickie into her arms and did what she could do. 'I'll be back Sam I promise.' Within the blink of an eye she disappeared taking a teary Mickie with her.

-----------------

'Dean wait, see what she can do and hear what she has to say before you go running off half cocked.' Bobby tried to reason with Dean but the younger man's patience had worn thin and he was arming himself ready to go and rip the town apart looking for Sam and Mickie.

'Dean?' Az appeared in the room behind the two men startling both of them, 'hey guys.'

'Az ... I really wish you wouldn't...' Dean's words trailed off as he turned and saw the precious bundle in the spirit's arms. 'Mickie?'

'Daddad.' Mickie cooed reaching frantically for her father, 'Daddad, want Daddad.' She squirmed and pushed against the arms holding her, her tears trickled down her little cheeks as she turned on the full puppy look with her big eyes.

'Oh God Mickie.' Dean covered the room in two strides and took his daughter into his arms, his own tears falling silent as he cradled the child close to him, 'Mickie baby.' He looked up at Az and mouthed thank you as he inspected his baby girl for any signs of injury. 'Sam?'

'Uncsammee booboos.' Mickie said solemnly putting her hands on Dean's cheeks and patted him, 'Uncsammee big booboos.'

'Az?'

'He's bad Dean, really bad, fractured cheekbone and nose, bruises, so many bruises and his knee.' The spirit started to fade out as she got more upset.

'Az hey no disappearing act.' Dean snapped as he sat down on the bed and sat Mickie on the floor at his feet. 'What else.'

'The drugs ... they really do block him from me, if it wasn't for Mickie I wouldn't have found them.' Az said as she disappeared and then reappeared seconds later sitting on the floor next to Mickie. 'I am so sorry I wasn't able to stop them Dean.'

'What happened Az?' Dean asked glancing up at Bobby who stood watch at the window, the older hunter strangely silent in the discussion and the air of distrust and annoyance filled the room making it stuffy and awkward.

'I was with Rachel and the children, in my cat form to make it easier to blend in,' Az started her own gaze falling on the ever-watchful Bobby, 'I got baited.'

'You what?' Dean's eyes widened in surprise at the frank admission.

'I got baited, someone put something into my food ... hey a cat's still gotta eat ... when I was able to transform back ... well I was not at Rachel's anymore someone made sure I wasn't there when they took Mickie. When I was well enough to function properly I came straight to you.'

'I am so sorry Az.'

'What for Dean?' Az cocked her head to the side and regarded the young human carefully, 'I should have been more vigilant, I got complacent and coz of that Sam's hurt and Mickie ... it's me who should be sorry.'

'Look you two can play the sobbing blame game later, but when Cornase finds out that Mickie is gone it aint gonna be long before he figures out what happened.'

'Sam!' Dean cried out in horror, 'they'll take it out on him.'

'Oh Gods no please I never thought about ... he begged me to get Mickie to you safely.' Az couldn't meet Dean's eyes and turned her attention back to the toddler in front of her. Mickie happily played with her father's feet for a few minutes before deciding that she was bored and wanted to make her daddy happy again. Carefully she pushed her feet under her nappy-clad bottom and stood up on wavering chubby legs, proudly she looked up at the adults but none of them took any notice, pouting slightly she put a steadying hand on Dean's leg and took the few steps to stand by his legs, 'Daddad.'

Dean looked down at where Mickie was sitting and then his eyes tracked her short distance and locked onto her standing by herself next to him. 'Mickie you walked?' He blinked in surprise arching his eyebrow perfectly when the baby giggled and toddled over to Bobby, taking a handful of his trousers she tugged at them until he looked down.

Smiling at the littlest Winchester Bobby scooped the baby into his arms and gave her a peck on the cheek. Mickie giggled in response and started to tug at individual hairs in his beard. 'Bobbee.'

'Ah Mickie no, no pulling Bobby's beard.' He chuckled until she pulled another one and then he winced, 'please Darlin'.'

'Aw Bobby it's so cute.' Dean couldn't help himself, he whipped the cell phone open and clicked off a photo before Bobby registered in what he was doing. 'Thanks new Christmas card material there.'

'Dean!' Bobby tried to glare but the little girl in his arms decided to give him a sloppy big kiss on the cheek and then squirmed to get down again. 'Dean what are we going to do with her while we find Sam?'

'Damn, Az is there anywhere you know of where she will be safe from Cornase?' Dean sat poised ready to catch Mickie as she toddled back to him, a sleepy yawn slipped from the baby. 'Come here princess.' Dean picked up his daughter and hugged her tightly, 'daddy loves you.' He whispered in her ear.

'Dean I – I can take her to the ...' Az stopped herself and faded out of view.

'Az front and centre now.' Dean barked the order out sounding more like his father than ever before.

'Dean I can't tell you where I'm taking her,' Az appeared again 'if I do and Cornase ... I just can't tell you.'

'It's better if I don't know true but Az just tell me that she will be safe until this is over?'

'I promise.'

'Uncsammee!' Mickie flinched and started sobbing uncontrollably, 'booboos.'

'Oh Gods, Az where did you find them?' Dean passed the sobbing child over to the spirit and went back to finish his packing as Az told him the directions and address of where Sam was held then she swallowed down on her own tears, watched Dean say goodbye once again to his daughter before they disappeared.

'We're getting Sam back Dean,' Bobby said, 'and then we'll be able to bring Mickie home.'

'I-I know.' Dean said he straightened his shoulders with a snap, slipped his glock into his waistband and slipped his jacket on, 'It's playtime.'

----------------

Cornase shook Sam trying to rouse him but the young man was out cold, 'I want to know where the kid is now.' He shrieked, 'get him awake.'

'Sir?'

Use the drug anything I want him awake now.'

The guard stared at his boss and then filled another syringe, 'Sir he could overdose.'

'Now!'

The guard shrugged and plunged the needle into the tight muscles of Sam's neck, swallowing he stared with a sympathetic look as the prisoner started to convulse, sweat poured down the greasy blood slicked skin and drenched the ragged sweats. Minutes later Sam's eyes shot open and he screamed before retching violently; vomit sprayed over the guard and Cornase.

'Tell me where the brat is.' Cornase pushed his face up against Sam's, his acrid breath choking his prisoner, suddenly Sam opened his mouth and vomited mucous and blood hitting the demon full on the face. 'Make him talk.' He ordered stalking out of the room, 'I don't care what you have to do to him I want him talking.'

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do??? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

This is a repost coz I realised that I made a bit of a booboo when I had the healer female and then male. Believe me she is all female!

CHAPTER THREE

The guard dropped an unconscious Sam back on the floor and wiped his hands on his own pants before he left the room, swallowing deeply he went in search of his boss. This was not going to go down well. The interrogation took an hour, with Sam remaining silent throughout the torture and threats. Softening slightly the guard let Sam drop to the floor and took a step back, his breath coming in rough heaves as he fought to control himself. Usually he enjoyed his job and found torturing his victims a good release of pent up emotions and anger. But pummelling the broken body of this young man brought nothing but feelings of disgust to him. The prisoner didn't know where the child went, he barely understood the questions, just shook his head and took whatever his tormentor dished out.

'Master.' He dropped his gaze and waited for Cornase to reply before he continued knowing from past experience not to go in half-cocked and interrupt something.

'What is it?' Cornase turned around and stared at the guard with a cold malicious stare.

'The prisoner, Sir did not make a sound during the interrogation and showed no signs of lying he does not know where the child is.'

'What state did you leave him in?'

'He is unconscious but alive, he will need to be seen by the medic before further questioning though.'

'Hmm and you are qualified to give this opinion how?'

'From the damage I inflicted on him Master, he is lucky to be alive from what I put him through.'

'And you say he made no sound at all?'

'No Sir, when questioned directly about the child he shook his head no, even under extreme duress he did not give any indication that he knew where she is or even who she is.'

'The drugs?'

'He was given another dose before I left, they didn't even loosen his tongue.'

'Hmm very good, you're dismissed.' Cornase waved his hand and waited for the guard to leave before he started pacing the room. _So Sam remained silent throughout his torture interesting, but that doesn't help with finding the child._

'Where is she?' A cold, vicious female voice raked over Cornase's skin making it crawl, 'where is the child?'

'She has disappeared.' Cornase replied turning slowly, 'the prisoner was tortured to the point of death but he has no idea on her whereabouts. He is drugged so he may not have been conscious when she did go.'

'You have no security cameras set up?'

'No, there is no need for them I have all of the safe guards up.'

'What about nuisance animal spirits?'

'The only one who would be a nuisance was disposed of as a feline.'

'Why do I feel as though you are lying to me?'

'I will take you to the prisoner and you can question him yourself if you like.'

'Enough attitude Cornase if it wasn't for me you would still be languishing in the pits.'

'Yes I know my Lady, I know.'

The door opened and she stood staring dispassionately at the pitiful sight before her, 'you sure that he is alive?'

'Yes my Lady and drugged as you requested.'

'Very good, leave us Cornase but do not go far, I have another job for you.'

'Yes my Lady.' Cornase snivelled backing out of the room, 'I will get you bitch.' He mumbled under his breath.

She crouched down next to Sam's inert form and touched his forehead with an almost tender gesture. 'Sam are you in there still?' Her voice, silky and smooth wrapped around him like satin, soothing and cool.

Sam's eyelids fluttered and opened enough for him to try and focus on the face floating above him. 'Wake for me Sam, come to me.' the seductive voice continued to pull him back from the depths where he felt no pain.

Sam's eyes opened and he stared at the familiar woman hovering over him, a soft breath escaped as he released his breath but remained silent, still and watching.

'Oh Sam what has he done to you?' She asked gently sliding her hand down his cheek, 'I am sorry I wasn't able to stop him.'

Sam felt his body starting to wake up, but remained pain free, his head filled with cotton wool felt like it was floating. Sadly he knew that he couldn't respond even if he wanted to, the damage done to his throat from the constant injections directly into his neck, made it hard just to swallow, let alone speak. He could hear her voice, but couldn't actually make out the words, it was soft sounds that were soothing but terrifying at the same time. He knew that they wanted to know about Mickie, but he couldn't remember what happened to her. Maybe an angel took her, and it was his time next. Blinking Sam tried to focus on the face and remember who it is but sleep called to him and he wanted to close his eyes and drift again.

'No, no Sam no falling asleep on me.' She tapped his cheek gently and then wiped the errant tears falling from his pain-darkened eyes.

'Cornase where are you?' She yelled realising that she was going to get no where with Sam in this condition.

The demon appeared just behind her, a sneer of hatred marring his features, 'you called?'

'Where are the healers? The medics? Sam's needs attention now.' She declared standing up she turned her flaming eyes to Cornase, 'remember who I am now Cornase and what I can do.'

'How can I forget?' the demon sneered his anger over-riding his common sense. 'You won't let me.' He screamed as she ran a flaming finger down his chest scorching the skin in its wake.

'Do not underestimate me Cornase, I am no longer your servant I am now your Mistress.'

'Forgive me my Lady.'

'Get Sam cleaned up and placed on a proper bed with medical attention or a healer whatever it takes.'

'Yes Mistress,'

'oh by the way Cornase, keep him drugged he is much more compliant this way.'

'Of course Mistress.'

Sam tried to shake his head when the needle came closer but he could no more fight it off than fly, a sigh escaped as he felt the biting pinch and the vile concoction invade his body again.

His tormentor returned with another guard and together they carried Sam to the bathroom but this time laid him in a large tub filled with warm water and fragrant oils.

Sam felt the hands washing him but he didn't care as he rode the waves of a drug induced lethargy.

The one who tortured him felt his remorse rise as he took in the damage Sam had already sustained and the newer injuries he himself inflicted. _The kid's one tough son of a bitch that was for sure._

'Rafe the healer's here.'

'Show her in.' Rafe looked up at the younger man, 'she can check him out while he is in the tub and pliable.'

'Yes Sir.' The other guard nodded and left the bathroom again, leaving Rafe and Sam alone. Rafe Engles, nearly his fiftieth birthday but knowing because of his deal that he would never reach it. Now he worked for the demon Cornase who owns his contract, in his previous life he was notorious for his physical approach to problem solving as was often hired as a torturer by major crime bosses. But this, this was different now his entire existence consisted of torturing human prisoners and lower class demons who displease the bosses. Was clean and easy work for him, but now he doubted it. The kid had an air of sensitivity and innocence around him and Rafe himself saw how he was with the little one. He did not deserve to be hurt like he is, and to stay so quiet.

'Look Kid I dunno if you can hear me, but ... well I'm supposed to give you another injection to keep you drugged, but well I reckon it's gonna kill ya first so just between you and me I gave it to ya.' He whispered emptying the contents into the toilet and flushing it before going back to Sam and easing the needle point into Sam's skin making it look like he had done it.

Sam opened his eyes and blinked up at the man, the look in his eyes showing his thanks before they slid shut again. Rafe sat back and smiled softly before he heard the door opening. When he turned to meet the new arrivals he wore his professional 'don't give a damn' face. 'bout time Healer.'

'Sorry but the Master keeps me busy.' The sniped answer came back, 'so what do we have here?'

'Young Sam, gave the Master a few problems in the past, so when he ... had him beaten, broke his knee cap, cheekbone and nose as far as I can tell, maybe his fingers too. Then they drugged him with some concoction and well I got ordered to do an interrogation on him.'

'Has he regained consciousness at all?'

'Some but he ... don't think he can talk and has trouble hearing as well.' Rafe reported the injuries rolling off his tongue in a dispassionate tone.

'Well let me see him, I cannot heal everything but I can make him more comfortable I take it the Master wants me to leave the drug effects going?'

'Yes, he wants him addicted.'

'Ah alright let's see what we got here.' The healer indicated for the Rafe and the other guard to lift Sam out of the tub and to lie him down on the bench. Rafe placed a chair at the end to accommodate the extra length in Sam's legs.

'My, oh my he has done a number on him.' the healer muttered as she ran her hands over Sam's naked body, her eyes closed as he concentrated on the injuries, external and internal.

'Rafe we are going to have to shift him first I will need to do several healings for him to survive the night.'

'J.T. come on you can help carry Sam to the guest room.' Rafe ordered the young guard on the door, 'now J.T.'

'Yes Sir.' Together the two men carried Sam into another room, only semi-conscious Sam felt them lift him but that was all.

As carefully as they could they lowered Sam onto the soft bed, Rafe ordered J.T. to go and clean up the tub and the bathroom, effectively leaving Sam alone with the healer and his torturer.

'Seriously healer, what are his chances?'

'Why? Starting to have a conscious Rafe?'

'Just wondering geeze Doc.'

'Honestly his injuries are severe, if he recovers he is ... his is in danger of having serious deficiencies and disabilities unless more healers can help him or even human medicine.'

'What else did they do to him? I mean I know what ... what else did they?'

'You were correct with the knee, cheek and nose fractures. As well he has fractures in his left hand and fingers, his left wrist and at least four of his ribs on the left side. He has internal bleeding which I have managed to stop before we shifted him, the bruising around his abdomen is worrying and he has damage done to both ear drums, his throat and larynx, honestly I cannot tell you if he will be able to speak or hear again.'

'Damn doc if I knew he was that bad I would have refused...'

'And then someone else more sadistic and murderous would have done worse.' The healer patted Rafe's hand, 'don't feel guilty over it Rafe, you have no more control over what happens here than I do.'

'Whoever took the child, I'm glad doc I would hate to see what they were planning to do to her.'

'I know, I agree with you there, now onto business, can you go and see if the Mistress will allow at least one more healer?'

'Sure, don't let him die, healer, I don't want his death on my conscious as well.'

-----------------------

Bobby and Dean watched the building from their well positioned hiding place. 'We can't wait all night Bobby.'

'I know Dean but we can't go in half-cocked either.' Bobby glanced over at Dean, 'we're gonna get him Dean but it aint gonna happen if we go in there blind.'

'I know Bobby it's just ... we're so close.' Dean ran his fingers through his hair and shook off his feeling of impending dread.

'Dean twelve o'clock.' Bobby nodded his head making Dean turn to look, 'is that who I think it is?'

'Fuck Bobby what's going on?' Dean rasped his eyes widening in shock as he watched the woman strut into the building.

'I dunno but I can tell ya this that aint the bitch you knew Dean.'

'I know she took me for a ride Bobby, damn is ... she's the one who wants Mickie back.' Dean sat back on his haunches as the realisation hit him, 'I know that they took Sam to get back at me but why Mickie, it didn't make sense until now.'

'Damn it Dean if Az didn't get to them when she did.'

'That bitch would have my daughter back.' Dean ground out.

----------------

Az watched Mickie sleep, she delighted in watching the little girl and sleeping was no exception. She was so much like her father it was scary but there was the vulnerability and specialness of her uncle in her too. Az sighed and stroked the infants face with the tip of her finger, tracing feather-light patterns in a soothing fashion.

'Sleep little angel, you are safe here and when you wake your daddy and uncle will be home.'

'It is time Azuraus.' A gentle voice came from behind the soft crib. Looking up she smiled at her mentor, 'I know Azurail she just looks so peaceful.'

'It is for the best, we cannot let the evil ones know of this place.' Azurail placed a hand on Az's head, a tender smile on his face. 'She will be safe little one.'

'I know it's just ...'

'What?'

'Her father entrusted Michaela to my care, what if something goes wrong?'

'Nothing will go wrong little one, she is safe and will continue to be ... what is the child wearing Azuraus?'

As grinned and straightened out the tiny black T-shirt and jeans on the little girl, 'her daddy bought them for her, I figured they would give her comfort.'

'A heavy metal band T-shirt?' Azurail asked incredulously, 'how did they find one so small?'

'It is the human way.' Az giggled, 'she looks so cute, she has a bandanna to match and a mini leather look jacket.'

'Interesting choices for a girl but ... I would not choose a better father for her.'

'Nor I Azurail ... Dean loves her with his entire being I don't even have to sense that and her uncle Sam ...'

'Sam can help her as she grows into her gifts, they are the wisest carers for her, I feel sorry that she cannot know her mother but it is for the best.'

Az nodded sadly and bent over the crib brushing a kiss on the chubby cheek before whispering a small chant in the toddler's ear. 'Sleep well little angel.' She kissed her again before sealing the cocoon around her. 'She will sleep until her father wakes her.' She said, 'I am ready to guard.'

'I will never be far Azuraus.' Azurail bent down and kissed the top of her head, smiling happily Az looked up at the smiling face of her mentor, 'did anyone tell you that you resemble John Winchester?'

'Or perhaps he resembled me?' Azurail chuckled as he gave her a protection blessing and hung the amulet around her neck. 'be careful little one.'

Az smiled and then transformed into a mammoth black panther with golden eyes, growling softly she curled herself around the cocoon and settled down, ever watchful.

-------------------

Sam opened his eyes and tried to remember where he was now, his head still felt light and floating, his throat constricted so badly he choked each breath and swallow, lying back against the pillow he resigned himself to the fact that he was dying, but at least he was sure Mickie was safe.

_'Don't think like that Sam,'_ that voice came back in his thoughts, confused he turned his head and stared at the woman_. 'Yes Sam you can hear me in your thoughts, it seems that you sustained some damage to your ears and throat. What a shame you can only hear me and can't do anything about it.'_

_'Why?'_ The thought pulled itself out from behind Sam's stubborn wall, _'why?'_

_'Why what?' Oh this?_' the tinkling laugh made him shudder.

_'Good old fashioned revenge, dear brother.'_

_'You are not my sister.'_

_'Oh not by marriage I suppose but you are uncle to my daughter are you not.'_

_'You are no mother.'_

_'Tsk, tsk Sam how can you speak to me like that?'_

_'Give me my voice back and then you can hear me in full volume.'_

_'Hmm tempting but __I rather like you as the strong silent type.'_

_'Merci!'_

TBC_  
_


	4. Chapter 4

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do??? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the lateness of this update, what can I say? Real Life, Christmas, family visits, changing internet providers and hmm now a bout of tonsillitis so much for summer holidays! LOL

So to make myself feel better ... Winchester whumpage of the extreme kind is coming your way.

**Warning:** Mention of rape and extreme nastiness, if you're squeamish don't read for your own peace of mind. But remember you've been warned so don't come running to me!!

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Dean took a deep breath gave Bobby and the others one last glance and then moved into his final position. The small group Bobby had assembled were all hunters and fighters and all had dealings with Cornase in the past. All who wanted to end the demon once and for all.

A cold shiver passed through Dean as he moved stealthily into the compound, his favourite knife in his right hand, his gun snug in his waistband. He had two more knives hidden on him but preferred the lightweight hunting knife, a birthday present from Sam when Dean turned eighteen.

A soft thud ahead of him brought Dean out of his musings and he watched as two guards were silently despatched easily. Bobby gave him the go sign and Dean ran, testing door knobs but a feeling deep in his gut kept him moving drawn to one room in particular. He laid a shaking hand on the handle and tested it lightly before pulling out his lock picking set, glancing around he made sure that the only faces he could see were the others in his group, easily he opened the door and stepped into the sparsely furnished room.

'Sammy?' Dean whispered not daring to speak any louder, his gaze fell on the tortured body lying on the bed barely breathing and his heart shattered. Stepping closer he did a visual inventory of the external injuries, from the various cuts and bruises, the obvious swelling around his neck, the needle marks so blatant on the greyish-white flesh, the dribble of blood running from both ears, to the white plaster cast covering one wrist and hand, blue tinged fingernails poking out finished the macabre sight.

A black spongy bruise spread across the ribcage had Dean swallowing back on vomit and bile, he barely recognised Sam underneath the devastation.

'Sammy?' He whispered again laying a gentle hand on Sam's bare shoulder, one of the few places visible where he was injury free. Sluggish eyelids fluttered, in agonising slowness, they slitted open and a pair of glassy unfocused green eyes peered up at him, recognition came gradually as the mists cleared, a silent sob and a lone tear ran down Sam's face.

_'Dean?'_ Sam blinked and then shook his head, _'no, just my dying ... wish I could tell you goodbye Dean.'_ Sam felt his eyes closing again when another squeeze on his shoulder made him react. _'Leave me be.'_ He wanted to cry out, so desperate to return to the nothingness of the drugs. But they wore off sometime ago and he drifted on only his fevered thoughts and foggy mind, the fog blanketing his pain for now.

Forcing his eyes to settle on the face hovering over him, Sam tried to reach out with a shaking hand and found it clasped in a warm familiar one._'Dean?'_

'We've come to take you home Sammy.' Dean spoke as loudly as he dared but when Sam showed no signs of responding he felt his worry spike to the point, he thought that he was going to have a stroke. 'Sammy dude what is it?'

Sam grimaced as he swallowed letting go of Dean's fingers reluctantly and moved his own hand to his throat and then to his ear. The effort taking an obvious toll on him and his hand fell back to the bed.

'Oh Gods Sammy what have they done to you?' Dean cried out, unsure of how to get his critically injured brother out without hurting him even more in the process. 'Dude you need an ambulance.'

Sam tried to shake his head, just happy to have Dean with him before he died, he didn't care about anything else. A tinkling laughter exploded in his mind making him wince, Merci knows. Fumbling for Dean's hand Sam pulled on it trying to bring his brother closer.

Frowning Dean leant closer to Sam's mouth and watched as his brother tried to force one word out of his abused throat. 'Merci.'

Dean pulled back slightly to see Sam's eyes, 'Merci's here?'

Sam tried to nod and visibly winced and then he hit his head with his good hand trying to convey his desperation and fear for his brother, she could listen to all of Sam's thoughts.

'Sammy, Sammy hey it's okay I just want you to lie there and relax.' Dean couldn't believe the words coming out of his own mouth, 'I want you to think of nothing except staying alive and I'll get ya outta here.'

His silent reward – tears rolling down his baby brother's face and a look of utter devastation, Sam had already given up on living.

'No! No! Sammy don't you dare think you can give up on me and on Mickie. She's safe and that's because of you, she needs her uncle Sam, and damn it Sammy I need you too. So no more death wishes and no more chick flick moments we gotta get you outta here alive. No other option Sam.'

---------------

Bobby stared at Rafe in disbelief, he hadn't seen his old friend in twenty years and heard that he had died after the wrong deal went down. 'What the fuck are you doing here Rafe?' he rasped out the question, shock descending over him very quickly.

'Bobby, dang ... what the fuck are you doing storming in here?' Rafe sat up in the bed pulling the sheets over him and the young healer lying at his side, she watched the interaction between the men with intense interest she had never seen Rafe so frazzled before.

'You're working for Cornase? How? Why?' Bobby demanded levelling his gun at the young woman in the bed, 'and who the hell are you?'

'I am a healer.' She said softly, 'and Rafe's mate.'

'Mate? What kind of insanity is this Rafe?' Bobby turned his fiery gaze back to his old friend.

'I made a deal alright Bobby, but the contract was taken over by Cornase. Sweet work until now.'

'Whatcha talkin' bout?' Bobby glowered at the other man not really wanting to hear what the professional torturer and hitman had to say.

'He brought this banged up kid to me ... damn me Bobby I did what I had to but ...'

'Sam? You tortured Sam?'

'Oh fuck, Bobby do you know the kid?'

'Yeah and so do you, well you did.' Bobby pushed his cap back a little and scrubbed his hand over his face, this was getting into really weird shit. 'Sam, Sam Winchester ... John Winchester's little boy.'

'No, no the last time I saw Sam he was a cute dimpled three year old.' Rafe shook his head and refused to listen to what Bobby was saying. He had just tortured the little kid who used to sit on his knee and listen to his stories with wide-eyed appreciation. 'Tell me it aint ... what did Sam do to Cornase to do this to him?'

'He and Dean went up against Cornase when Dean's little girl got kidnapped, long story we aint got time for ... now you can either...'

'The little one, she's Dean's little girl?' Rafe interrupted Bobby, 'no, no this ... it aint right it can't be.'

'What the freaking hell you talking bout now Engles?'

'The mother, she's a demon a high ranking demon how did Dean?'

'She was no demon back then, she wasn't quite human but aint a demon till she got in with Cornase now looks like she had higher friends than we thought.' Bobby tossed a glance over his shoulder at the door knowing that they were wasting precious time. 'Look Rafe I don't give a monkey's uncle that you're here and working for the damned I am here to get Sam out and that's all. So if you're gonna fight me then I gotta stop ya right here and now.'

'Put the gun away Singer, I'm getting' dressed.' Rafe turned to look down at the still quiet healer, 'Arian look at me, you can come with me now and do something right or stay here but we'll have to tie ya up and gag ya.'

'You will need help with Sam.'

'What is it? What's wrong with Sam?' Bobby turned his full attention on the healer as well as his temper, 'what did they do to him?'

'He is near death, we have had a team of healers working on his injuries but ...'

'I don't have time for this.' Bobby raised his gun and aimed it at the young woman, 'what the fuck did they do to him?'

'They had battered him severely before they made Rafe interrogate him.' Arian said hanging her head low, 'and they have been ...'

'Getting him addicted to a drug.' Rafe finished for her handing Bobby a full syringe, 'dunno what it is but it's slowly killing him so if his injuries don't ...'

'The drugs will.' Bobby added, 'come on we're gotta go find Dean.'

'Bobby.' Rafe started but one glance at the thunderous look on Bobby's face, 'let's go.'

-------------------

Dean's trembling hands ran over Sam's face, absorbing every mark, every cut, the look of fading hope in the moss green eyes. 'Sam you gotta hold on for me okay.'

Sam nodded in Dean's embrace, feeling his brother's strength wash over him, Dean was here and now he could rest.

'Oh isn't this just so touching.' Merci laughed as she materialised at the end of Sam's bed, 'hi lover miss me?'

'What black hole did you squirm back out of Merci?'

'Oh Dean you wound me so.' Merci sighed dramatically, 'where is our daughter?'

'My daughter is safe.' Dean said making sure, he kept himself between the demon and his brother.

'Dean, Dean, Dean do you really think that you can keep her away from me?' Merci lifted her hand and watched smugly as Dean started to choke before flinging him across the room. Giggling she launched herself and landed on him straddling him suggestively. 'Ya know I have had a few enhancements recently.' She whispered suggestively in his ear, 'I have missed you lover boy why don't we make a brother or sister for Isabelle?'

'Get the fuck off me bitch.' Dean ground out pushing at the invisible hands tightening around his throat.

'Now, now nuff of the dirty talk Dean you're making me all hot and bothered.' Merci bent down and started to nip at Dean's chest, cruelly digging her nails into the soft flesh of his forearms, she pushed them above his head pinning him.

'No fair bitch I aint no toy.' Dean spat the words at her as he managed to manoeuvre his legs into position to flip her off when a sharp pain flared in his left hand leaving him gasping for air.

'Oh darlin' did that hurt?' Merci giggled as she conjured another knife and drove it into Dean's right hand this time eliciting an agony-fuelled scream. 'Oohh let me kiss you all better.' In the red haze of his pain, Dean felt his clothes disappear but his only thought was that Sam was watching. His brother was going to see him raped by a demon and there was nothing he could do about it.

His own body betraying him under her very skilful ministrations made Dean cringe and squeeze his eyes shut as she virtually impaled herself onto his forced erection. Manipulating Sam's perception Merci made it look like Dean was an active participant and not a victim of rape. Smiling sweetly she sat up and blew a kiss at the youngest Winchester as she rode his brother.

'Fuck you bitch.' Dean's anguished yell shattered the illusion and Sam saw the reality before he lost consciousness, shock and pain crept back into his awareness in sharp clarity, the last words he heard were Dean's incoherent screams of pain and humiliation.

'Thank you lover.' Merci said as she forcibly kissed Dean on the lips biting his lip enough to draw blood. 'Shame we gotta end it so soon.'

'Gonna kill you.' Dean stared up at the coldly beautiful face, murder flashing in his green eyes with intense colour making Merci push herself off him.

Footsteps in the hallway made her hiss as the door burst open and Bobby in one fluid motion lifted his shotgun aimed and fired the rock salt loads directly at her chest.

Screaming in rage Merci disappeared from view. Bobby pulled up and stared around the room in shock. Unable to wrap his mind around what he saw, Sam lay deathly still on the bed barely recognisable and Dean lay on the floor knives pinning his hands above his head, naked and trembling his eyes remained open but Bobby doubted he was really there. 'Healer get your ass in here now.' Bobby ordered dropping to his knees next to Dean carefully draping his own jacket over the young man's hips giving him a modicum of decency and privacy. 'Dean boy can you hear me?'

'B-Bobby?' Dean's head rolled listlessly wanting to turn away from the direct gaze of concern, 'S-Sam?'

Bobby glanced over at the bed and then back to Dean, 'he's alright Dean.'

'H-he s-saw ...' Dean felt the burn of tears and squeezed his eyes shut he wanted to fade away.

'Dean, son listen to me we have to remove the knives from your hands.' Bobby said tenderly, wracking his fingers through Dean's short spiked hair, 'I am so sorry.'

'D-Dad?' Dean blinked and stared unseeingly at Bobby, 'tired Dad.'

'Sh you can rest soon son.' Bobby said then he took a deep breath and cupped both hands around Dean's face before nodding to Rafe. The big man swallowed down on his rebellious stomach, for the first time in his debauched adulthood he felt guilt and it hurt. Carefully but swiftly he pulled the knife out of Dean's left hand first, watching as the young man bucked silently, he went to pull the next one out when he stopped and stared in horror.

'Arian get over here now.' He called for his mate.

'Rafe what is it?' Bobby looked up reluctantly taking his gaze from Dean's face.

'She just didn't stab this one in Bobby.' Rafe said jutting his chin to the bloodstained floor and skewered hand. Bobby followed the line of sight down until he saw for himself what Rafe meant. Dean's right hand was sliced almost in two, from between his index and middle finger through to the heel of his palm. It was not pinned but from the apparent damage, Dean wouldn't feel anything at all.

Arian wept openly as she lifted the destroyed hand and rested it on her lap, 'hold him.' she murmured as she pushed the two halves together again chanting as she did so.

Dean writhed violently under the weight of both Bobby and Rafe, his screams echoing through the now deserted compound.

----------------------

Cornase once again managed to avoid capture disappearing when the raid happened, happy in the fact that Merci was still no closer to finding her brat and he had a way of getting Sam back, even his tragically broken brother.

He watched the proceedings with detached glee, as she rode and milked the eldest brother in front of Sam, he had to admit even though she was a first class bitch she did have style.

An evilly funny thought crossed his mind and he immediately decided to act upon it.

_'Sammy?'_

_'Who-who is this?'_

_'Your Master, I was just wondering how you're feeling?'_

_'Leave me alone Cornase.'_

_'Got the hunger yet Sammy?'_

_'Stop calling me that, only Dean calls me that.'_

_'So Sammy the fire starting to burn in you? Need some more yet?'_

_'Leave me be.'_

_'Ah I can feel it twisting inside of you, you need a fix don't you Sammy boy.'_

_'I-I don't need anything from you.'_

_'Oh yes you do, and by the time the drug has left your system you will be searching for me, coming to me of your own volition.'_

_'No, no I ... I don't need you or your drugs.' _

_'Oh poor little Sammy, it's already starting isn't it, the withdrawal?'_

_'Get out of my head.'_

Cornase laughed and broke the connection, knowing he planted enough seeds for Sam to start following the trail back to him. Even though Sam was broken, he will still need his fix and Cornase will be there for him, yes for him and for much more.

--------------------

Sam's scream silenced everyone in the room, flailing his casted arm around he pushed at the sheets covering him and tried to climb out of the bed. Horrified Bobby left Dean with Rafe and hurried over to the youngest Winchester, just managing to catch the oversized younger man before toppled to the floor.

'No, no he's not supposed to make a sound.' Arian cried out as she carefully laid Dean's hand on his chest, a dark red line the only sign of the cruel slicing. Getting up she hurried over to Sam ignoring the pain in her own hand and the dizziness, Dean's injuries had taken more of a toll than she thought but she had to help Sam. She could never deny healing, it would kill her.

Sitting on the floor with her back against the bed Arian lifted Sam's head onto her lap, humming softly she brushed his long fringe out of his eyes and smoothed away the pain lines etched around his eyes. 'The drugs are calling to him, he craves them already.' She said in a soft singsong voice, 'his body can't ... we have to give him just enough Rafe.' Opening her eyes Arian stared up at her mate, 'we need to wean him from them or they will consume his desires and needs to the point where it will shut his body down and kill him.'

Bobby pulled the syringe out of his pocket and stared at it in horror, 'do you mean if we don't keep feeding this shit to Sammy?'

'He will kill himself by searching for it.' Arian said her fingers still stroking his face in soft sure patterns.

'Rafe?' Bobby looked at his old friend, 'what's in it?'

'Honestly Bobby I don't know, it is a concoction Cornase had developed no one was privy to it except the ones who created it.'

Sam writhed pitifully mewling from the back of his throat, tiny beads of blood dribbled from his lips as his maltreated throat rebelled from the sudden usage. He swung his casted hand wildly at an invisible force trying to fight demons only he could see. His good hand raked at the ones attacking from beneath his skin, scratching long welts along his thigh.

TBC  
Author's Note: This chapter got away from me going to 22 pages so I decided to halve it and post both instead of one way too long chapter. Hope that makes sense, it has totally drained me! LOL


	5. Chapter 5

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do??? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**Author's Note:** Just wanted to say YAY to Channel 10 here in Australia, they are actually going to have Supernatural back before next year. Yep they are going to stream the eps and are only going to be 2 weeks behind, WOOHOO! Finally they have seen the light, and we're spreading the love.

**Warning:** Mention of rape and extreme nastiness, if you're squeamish don't read for your own peace of mind. But remember you've been warned so don't come running to me!!

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Swearing under his breath Bobby grabbed his arm and pushed the needle into Sam's muscle, removing it without giving him the full dosage. Immediately Sam started to convulse and then just as quickly he slumped bonelessly against Arian, the drugs controlling him once again.

'This aint gonna last for long.' Bobby said, gauging the remaining amount, 'reckon I gave him bout half.'

'I can help slow the effects to make it last longer but ...' Arian wavered as Sam fed off her energy. 'Rafe.' Immediately Rafe was at her side, pulling her hands away from Sam's face, 'it's alright Arian, time to rest.' He said kissing her gently.

Bobby cleared his throat and let his gaze fall on the occupants of the room, 'who's that?' he asked pointing to the young man cowering in the corner.

'This here is J.T. he's one of the guards.' Lenny answered 'he was very happy to let us know everything, we didn't have to lay a hand on him.'

'The kid's alright Bobby.' Rafe said 'you won't have to worry bout him.'

'Bobby?' Dean lifted his head and managed to push himself upright, 'gotta get Sammy help.'

'Dean...'

'No, no I'm okay they did something to Sam's ears and throat, he – he can't go on much longer.'

'We can't ... damn how do we do this?'

'Call him ... ambulance.' Dean pushed the words out suddenly so tired all he wanted to do was curl up and sleep. 'tell em cult took ... a cult took Sammy an, an we found im.'

'Dean, Dean just take it easy son,' Bobby said as he stood and made his way over to the fallen hunter, 'come on let's get you closer to Sammy.'

'Dad?' Dean blinked then shook his head trying to clear the fogginess.

'Nah it's just me Bobby, Dean come on give an old man a bit of a hand and stand up, there ya go.' Bobby managed to get Dean standing and then guided him over to Sam lowering him down to sit next to his brother.

'Rafe can you call?'

'Already done ambulance is on the way, so are the cops too.' Rafe said locking stares with Bobby, 'they're gonna want to know what's been going on.'

'Like Dean said, Sam was taken by a cult, we found him and there was a bit of a fight with the stragglers that's how Dean got hurt.'

'Bobby I ...'

'You helped us Rafe, that's all the cops need to know, the rest well ... let's just say that when all this is done with then we'll deal.'

'Thanks man I ...'

'Yeah, yeah so get your woman loaded into one of the cars something tells me that the cops aren't gonna look too highly on a supernatural healer, put that kid in with her too to keep him quiet.' Bobby felt better having a plan of action to work on that didn't involve emotions. 'Lenny take the guys and do a sweep of the place but make it look like a cult's been here then disappear we'll meet up again tomorrow I'll message the co-ordinates.'

'Sure thing Bobby, hope the kid'll be okay.' Lenny tipped his cap and sauntered out gathering the rest of the men in the process.

'So do I Lenny, so do I.' Bobby muttered and then he turned and looked at the two brothers, Sam was awake and watching with a quiet air about him that was almost unnerving, Dean sat with his hand resting on Sam's shoulder his eyes closed but Bobby knew that he was still with him.

Rafe cleared his throat when he came back in not wanting to startle the three hunters, 'the ambulance is coming up the drive now, Arian and JT are fine in the back of my van, your guys did a good job Bobby, so we just gotta get these kids to ... fuck Bobby I coulda killed Sam.'

'But ya didn't Rafe and that means a lot.' Bobby said choosing his words carefully, 'still doesn't ...'

'I know for sure Bobby this is not over but for now ... I stopped giving him the drug before ... I could see it was doing more than ... making him docile.'

But, before Bobby could ask, what he meant the paramedics rushed into the room and in seconds chaos reigned supreme.

Dean sat quietly almost detached from the scene unfolding before him, his body felt alien to him, he wanted to step out of it and find a new one. He gazed at his newly healed hand in amazement, the long red scar ran from the front to the back of his hand between the fingers, not even an hour ago, it was sliced open.

'He's stopped breathing.'

'Throat's too swollen, can't get a tube in.'

'Need to do ...'

'We're losing him.'

The frantic calls fell on Dean's ears and slowly filtered through his maudlin thoughts trying to connect his awareness and need to escape into a workable entity he forced himself to refocus his attention. Who were those men? Where was Sam? Oh Gods Sammy? His body jolting back to life with a singular jolt of energy restarting his heart and mind Dean snapped back and tried to get to Sam.

'Dean son, let them do their work.' Bobby said laying a hand on Dean's shoulder.

'No, no he needs me Bobby. Sammy needs me.' Dean heard the desperation in his own voice shuddered but didn't care. He cared about nothing now, except Sam.

With horror filled eyes he watched as they sliced into Sam's throat and inserted a tube, an emergency tracheotomy registered in his mind, the paddles and beeping the next to register for him, they were shocking Sam. 'No Sam you promised to hang on for me.'

'We have a sinus rhythm,' one paramedic announced as they hooked Sam to more machines and monitors. 'Okay we need a backboard and collar, don't want to jar him anymore. We got a relative here?'

'Me, ah I'm his brother Dean,'

'My name is Walt and that's my partner Riley okay ... what's your brother's name Dean?' The closest paramedic turned to face Dean, concern written across his craggy face.

'S-Sam, he ah he was kidnapped by a cult. We managed to track them down but ... they-they tor-tortured him.'

'Sir ... Dean, we have your brother stabilised for now, but can you tell us if you have any idea on the extent of his injuries?' The man kept questioning Dean who stared down at Sam's still body, he looked so peaceful.

'Huh? Um I broken ribs, hand, and arm, they-they did something to his ears and throat ... when he tried to make a sound, he dribbled blood. His ears ... they, they were bleeding. I know that they battered him repeatedly.' Dean spoke in a monotone robotic voice his entire body trembling as the shock of his own assault and Sam's condition started to take hold. He lifted his eyes and stared at the paramedic the man's lips were moving but all he could hear was a loud buzzing, nausea washed through him as the shivers took hold, he could hear his teeth chattering. Dots floated teasingly in front of him, he could see Bobby moving slowly towards him and then the paramedic moved he wanted them to get away not to touch him but the vacuum started to suck him downwards spiralling uncontrollably.

'Dean!' Bobby yelled managing to catch his young friend as he collapsed backwards, 'dang it Dean hang in there.'

'Sir?'

'He ah was injured when we ... we found Sam. Some of the cult members ambushed us.'

'Dean?' Walt tapped the young man's face lightly worried when there was no response at all, 'his hand?'

'Stabbed I think.'

'Okay we got another victim, Riley get on the blower we're bringing in two patients both with life-threatening injuries have them ready for emergency surgery.' Walt took Dean's blood pressure and shook his head as he noted it and then his pulse and respirations. Slipping an oxygen mask over Dean's face, he put in an IV line and after conferring on the radio with the doctor at the hospital administered drugs into the saline drip.

'Ah hate to ask but what happened to his clothes?' Walt gestured at Dean, who still only wore Bobby's jacket tied around his waist.

'Sorry Dean,' Bobby muttered as he levelled his gaze at the paramedic, 'when we came in ... we are found him with a knife pining his hand to the floor and pretty out of it and ah what looked like the head woman of the cult. She was ah ... on top of him.'

'Oh, oh, oh my.' Walt uttered as the meaning of Bobby's words sunk in.

'Forced his brother to watch.' Bobby finished.

'There's really some sick people in this world.' Walt said as he finished making notes on a chart, minutes later both boys were loaded onto gurneys with two warm blankets tucked around Dean, 'Let's get em outta here.'

Bobby stood up to go with them when he turned and saw Rafe talking to the police, during the time the paramedics were working on the boys they had arrived and already started their investigations.

'Go with the boys Bobby, I've got it here.' Rafe said when he met Bobby's enquiring stare. 'I'll see ya at the hospital.'

'Sir we have to get going now, are you a relative?'

'Yes, yes they're my nephews.' Bobby said without hesitation. 'And legal guardian.'

'Are you coming in the bus with us?'

'Yeah I'm coming.' Bobby felt as though he was going to, finally lose it, this was too much but he had to keep it together for now anyway.

The emergency room put the earlier chaos at the compound to shame, a group of scrub clad nurses and doctors ranging from students, to residents to the specialist on call. They all yelled, they all poked and prodded Sam and they all kept shooting worried glances to Bobby. As soon as they Sam whisked away to surgery, they descended on Dean the same loud aggressive way they worked on Sam. Only this time they had to handle a very conscious and a very agitated Dean Winchester.

Bobby finally had to step in and calm Dean down himself, making the young hunter look at him and no one else, he patiently explained to Dean about Sam's emergency surgery and for now, there was nothing for Dean to do except let the doctors do their jobs.

Panting heavily Dean took in what his 'uncle' Bobby said and slowly calmed down enough for the nurses and doctors to back off a little, he focused on Bobby's words not really taking them in but took in his familiar tone of voice and no nonsense demeanour.

'Look doctor can I speak to you for a minute?' Bobby finally looked at the harried looking man staring at Dean as though he was facing the most dangerous man alive.

'Dean I'll be right back just concentrate on staying calm for Sammy.'

Dean nodded his head, not trusting himself to utter a sound, confused and disoriented he panicked when they took Sam away without letting him see him, then they turned their prying hands and intruding instruments on him. Normally he wouldn't let it worry him but his mind wanted to shut down, he couldn't think, or feel anything. He was numb.

'Dean ... he, he needs to be kept calm doctor and he needs some privacy.' Bobby said his voice a low controlled growl intimidating but not overly threatening. 'I'm not exactly sure what happened but we think that he may have been ... raped after having a knife driven through his hand into the floor. The female leader of the cult forced his brother to watch while she ...' Bobby glanced over at Dean, shoved his cap up and down on his head a few times and then turned back to the doctor. 'Look Dean would kill me for telling you but the worst thing at the moment is for him to be poked and prodded like that. He needs privacy and to deal with just you and maybe one nurse and he'll stay calm. Oh that and to make sure you keep him up to date with his brother's condition above all else.'

'Thank, thank you Mister Singer I take it you are the uncle?'

'Yeah that's me uncle Bobby, they're all I have now, their daddy's gone, momma died when young Sam was a baby so it's just me an' them.'

'I appreciate your honesty and candour Mister Singer,' the doctor said sincerely, 'Maggie settle Dean in cubicle three please and you can assist me, Mister Singer can stay with his nephew.'

'Yes Doctor.' Nurse Maggie Newsome nodded her head, glanced at the angry look on the uncle of her patient and then returned to the young man on the bed. He watched her warily as she moved around him taking his obs and then with a small smile pushed his gurney into cubicle three and drew the curtains closed, 'there that's better Mister Singer.'

'Dean, Dean will be fine.' He muttered dully, 'can you tell me how my brother is doing?'

'I can try to find out for you honey but I want you to rest,' she chided him gently, he looked so much like her son Mitchell it made her heart ache, Mitch was the apple of her eye until a crazed woman took him away from her.

'Dean my name is Doctor Lewis Windom and I will be the only doctor you have to deal with.' Lewis came in closely followed by Bobby, 'you don't have to worry about anyone else except me and Maggie.'

'Thanks Doc I appreciate it.' Dean mumbled, still numb, still curious to why they were treating him like a fragile flower. The thought made him laugh harshly bringing three sets of eyes to stare at him all concerned and worried. 'I'm fine just a nasty thought.'

'Okay young man how about we get you checked out and your hand seen too.'

'My hand?' Dean blinked and looked down at his left hand, 'what happened?'

'Dean,' Bobby stepped closer to the bed, worry oozing from his pores, 'what do you remember?'

'Finding Sammy ... an, an then Merci appeared.' Dean's forehead creased as he tried to focus his thoughts on the memory, 'she, she oh God.'

'Hey, hey Dean look at me.' Bobby pushed his naturally stoic personality aside and tried to deal with keeping Dean on an even keel. He couldn't help feeling as though he was drowning.

'She got the drop on me and pinned my hand ...' Dean kept talking locked in the memories, 'she wanted to ... she made Sam watch ... gonna puke.' Dean lifted his head off the table as his stomach clenched and then released its meagre contents.

------------------

Rafe stepped into the closely guarded room and let his gaze scan the occupants before making his presence known. 'Bobby?'

'Rafe?' Bobby coughed and scrubbed the sleep from his eyes before blinking and focusing on the other man. 'What, what time is it?'

'Nine a.m. how's it going here?'

'As you can see the boys in blue are doing a crack up job of looking after us.' Bobby grinned as he stood up easing the stiffness from his joints and cracked his spine, 'dang blasted hospital chairs.'

'How they doing?' Rafe looked at Sam briefly and then over at Dean.

'Sammy came to once since his surgery, they had to patch the kid together again.' Bobby said levelling a glare at Rafe, 'remind me when this is all over to resume our discussion about that.'

'You'll never let me forget.' Rafe said ruefully, 'and I deserve all of it and more, I didn't know it was Sam I swear Bobby.'

'Yeah I know, lot of the worst stuff though was older than what you did. They did a lot of internal damage, he lost a kidney.'

'Fuck Bobby.'

'They did what they could for now, they want to wait until he wakes up to gauge the extent of the damage to his vocal cords and eardrums before they decide if more surgery is needed. They had him in there for fourteen hours Rafe.'

'The withdrawal?'

'While he's under sedation he aint feeling a thing which is one small mercy.'

'What about Dean?'

'They fixed his hand, he should have almost all movement back with time and therapy. The rest well ...'

'Bobby wanna tell me what the hell happened? How did these two piss off demons like Cornase and the wicked bitch from the west?'

For the next two hours Bobby explained about little Mickie appearance, what the boys went through last time, Merci's betrayal. Everything he knew, pausing at times to gather his own emotions and to wipe away errant tears before they escaped. Looking haggard and haunted Bobby finally stopped with the most recent events, taking a long sip of his cold coffee Bobby looked at Rafe locking their stares with one steely glance. 'That's all I know, just when it was all starting to settle down Merci is back and well ... the rest you know.'

'So what now?' Rafe asked standing up he went to the window and stared out over the carpark, looking at nothing. 'What do these boys do now?'

'Well get better and then we regroup, smoke the bastard demons and make sure they stay in hell, then they boys can find Mickie and get their lives back on track.'

'Bobby?' Dean called out his voice laced with pain, 'Bobby where's Sammy?'

'He's right here Dean, in the bed next to yours.' Bobby answered his worry meter spiking again, he had never seen Dean so confused or so ... vulnerable before. It freaked him out.

'Sammy?' Dean reached out with his so-called good hand wanting contact with his brother, frustrated he went to pull out his IV when he noticed the bulky bandage around his entire left hand. 'Get me outta here Bobby.'

'Dean slow down lad.'

'I gotta see him for myself Bobby,' Dean sat up and swayed groggily, 'what if he wakes up and ...'

'Dean what do you think he's gonna do if he wakes up and finds you flat out on the floor?'

'He can't hear or talk Bobby ... help me please.' The rawness of Dean's appeal and the glint of terror in his eyes was Bobby's undoing, 'stay there an' I'll be right back.'

Impatiently Dean waited for Bobby to return from his mystery trip, he glanced over at Rafe but his attention rested solely on that door. Finally, Bobby returned with a wheelchair and Nurse Maggie in tow.

'Deal time Dean.' Bobby grinned mirthlessly.

'Okay young man here are the rules, I will let you up to sit with your brother for a little while if you let me check you first and redo your dressings. Your uncle here has promised me to make sure that you do not stay up for too long, strictly speaking you should be happy that you are in the same room together. ICU has very specific rules and they have already bent them for you and Sam. Don't make me regret this Dean.'

'Promise Maggie, I promise.' Dean gave her a watered down but genuine trademark Winchester smile.

'Sam, hey dude time to wake up princess.' Dean said stroking his fingers down Sam's face, he knew that Sam probably couldn't hear him but he didn't care. He just wanted Sam back.

Sam felt the touch, warmth radiating through his cold core, feather light but still there stroking him evoking the childhood memories that kept him going. Kept him above the rising waters of depression, the one who could make everything better for Sammy. His very own super-hero.

His eyes flickered open and he stared up at the familiar face, a faint smile ghosted on his lips and he turned his face towards the touch.

'Sammy?' Dean blinked unsure of what he was witnessing.

'Dean.' Sammy mouthed his brother's name as his eyes slid shut and he fell asleep dreaming of days long ago, when Dean saved his world.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do??? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**Author's Note: **I do not have any medical experience, just used what I could find on the internet the anti-convulsant drug is a real one and there is lots of information available on it.

**CHAPTER SIX**

Sam stared around with curious eyes, he so wanted to hear what Dean and the doctor were arguing about. Just from Dean's stance and the way, he moved to stand between the doctor and the bed, made Sam nervous and more than just curious about the discussion. Reaching up he gripped the back of Dean's shirt with a shaking hand and tugged as hard as he could making his brother spin around immediately worried for him. Sam gave him a wan smile and tried to look less like a crash test dummy and more like a living human. 'Dean.' He mouthed his brother's name and tried to push the words out, a soft huff of air passed his lips but nothing else.

'Sammy what? What is it?' Dean turned from angry to protective in one split second but then he saw the look on Sam's face and the small eye roll and calmed down a little. 'Sorry bro.'

The doctor stared incredulously at the two brothers, both should be in bed, not just one of them, both should be hooked up to life support but there they were awake and functioning as well as they could. And now, now this silent communication between them, the youngest losing his hearing and speech during his ordeal and yet he could communicate everything to his older sibling with a look. 'You two are walking miracles.'

'Nah Doc.' Dean turned his head and grinned at the doctor, 'We're Winchesters.'

An hour later found Dean back in his own bed finally sleeping, Sam was gone having tests on his ears and Maggie bullied Dean into finally getting some much needed rest.

Bobby sat at his now familiar post between the two beds, dozing slightly with an open magazine on his knee. A low keening sound woke Bobby with a start and staring around blearily his gaze rested on the young man tossing restlessly in his bed.

Sweat dribbled in rivulets down Dean's face and chest drenching him in the moistness, his good hand twisted in the sheets, and his legs kicked out ineffectively as he tried to fight his way out of his personal terror.

'Dean? Dean boy come on son open your eyes.' Bobby tried to rouse him, knowing how badly Sam reacted to his nightmares but Dean was a total different case. 'Dean come on you don't want Sammy to see ya like this.'

'No, no, no please Merci.' Dean begged tears leaking from his tightly closed eyes. 'No, no Sammy no please not here.'

'Dean.' Bobby snapped his name out and then gripped his shoulder tightly, 'ah shit Dean.' Leaning across the writhing young man he pressed the call button and then sat back trying to calm Dean down.

'What's the matter?' Maggie bustled in going straight to Dean's side.

'He's not waking from a nightmare and he's burning up.' Bobby said succinctly and then stepped back to let the nurse do her job.

'Dean? Come on honey open those eyes for me.' Maggie cooed wiping the sweat from Dean's face but the terrors still locked him in the internal battle.

'I'll be right back Bobby, I'm going to go and page Dean's doctor, he's temp is way to high and he's non-responsive.'

'Dammit these boys just can't take a break.' Bobby muttered shaking his head he looked up at the sympathetic look on the nurse's face and realised he had just spoken aloud. 'Sorry these boys have had a hard time lately and it just doesn't seem...'

'Well they are safe here Bobby and we'll make sure that they leave here nice and healthy.' Maggie smiled, patted his arm and hurried away to page the doctor.

'Sammy!' Dean screamed reaching for his brother, his eyes snapped open and his back arched painfully wrenching him from the bed. 'Sammy no.'

'Dean, Dean calm down.' Bobby went back to the bedside of the older Winchester and tried to talk him back again. The door hissed open and Sam came in, slumping in his wheelchair looking exhausted. 'Dammit.' Bobby muttered just as Dean called out for his brother again. Sam silently stared at Bobby and then at his brother, the look on his face set and determined he started to push the wheelchair himself over to his brother before anyone could do anything.

Coming to a sliding stop Sam reached over and gripped Dean's good hand tightly, the contact had a sudden reaction and Dean calmed immediately. Mutely Sam stared up at Bobby with tears shining in his eyes before he turned his attention back to Dean.

The doctor and nurse stood in the doorway staring at the brothers once again awed at the connection between them. 'I hear that someone is running a fever and someone else won't get back in bed.' The doctor said clearing his throat before he said anything.

Bobby touched Sam's arm but he just glared at the older man, refused to acknowledge the doctor or Maggie instead he returned to his silent vigil next to his brother. Thankful for the first time since his kidnapping and torture that caused him to go deaf that he couldn't hear what they were saying around him, he and Dean were safe inside their personal cocoon.

A gentle hand on Sam's shoulder made him jump startled, blinking he glanced up at the concerned face of Bobby who pointed to the other bed and gripped the handles on Sam's wheelchair intent on getting both boys settled so the doctor could do his job.

'No!' The rasped response ripped from Sam's throat painfully making him wince and gasp for air.

'Sam, Sam look at me.' the doctor knelt down in front of him and took Sam's chin in one of his hands, 'look at me.' he repeated pointing to his own eyes. Sam managed to calm his breathing down enough for the doctor to look at his throat. 'Bed now.' He said clearly enunciating his words and following up with a pointed look to Sam's bed and then back to Sam.

Sam huffed but knew when he was beat, unable to argue verbally, his preferred method of fighting ... with words, he nodded slowly and let Bobby wheel him back to his own bed. While Maggie got Sam settled the doctor gave Dean a thorough examination, muttered a lot and wrote copious notes down on the chart, filling in a new drug order, and then he injected a small dose into the port of Dean's IV.

'What the hell is that doc?' Bobby asked gruffly taking the role of surrogate father very seriously.

'Just an antibiotic it seems that Dean here has the beginnings of an infection, hence his heightened temperature. If we can catch it before it really takes hold then we should be able to stabilise his temp fairly quickly without having to do a lot of intervention.'

'Thanks doc it was a worry.'

'Now Sam on the other hand is a worry.' The doctor spared a glance over at Sam and then turned back to Bobby, 'he's going to have to have more surgery to repair his ears, the damage is very extensive, more so than we originally thought.'

'Will he hear again Doc?'

'Hopefully with the surgery he should regain a good percentage of his hearing back.' The doctor paused and then took a deep breath, 'What I am worried about is Sam's condition, he is still too weak to handle a long operation but the longer we wait.'

'The less chance of success.' Bobby finished, 'look doc I really appreciate ya tellin' me this I'll talk it over with the boys and well aside from a lot of yelling I'm sure we'll get Sam there.'

'You mean Dean yelling.' The doctor had to chuckle.

'Yeah, coz he wasn't informed first, ah don't worry bout it doc, these boys ... they might seem tough but well...'

'Yeah I can understand that I have sons around their ages, perhaps a little younger but not much. My youngest Julian is turning twenty-one next week.'

'Dean's twenty-seven and Sam over there is twenty-three, they're good boys just a little pigheaded.'

'Look who's talkin,' Dean mumbled glaring at the two men, 'so what's with the whispered discussion?'

'Dean boy it's good to see you awake again.' Bobby grinned, turning he thanked the doctor again and went to talk to his young friend.

'Dean, boy you had me running scared there for a minute.'

'Why?' Dean blinked hating the sticky feeling from the fevered sweats. 'What happened?'

'Yer got yerself an infection and temperature. Had a helluva nightmare as well.'

'Sammy?'

'He's okay, sleeping right now I think.' Bobby glanced over at Sam's bed and then back to Dean, 'boy we have to talk.'

'So Sam needs the surgery as soon as?' Dean blinked still trying to comprehend what Bobby told him.'

'To save his hearing yeah but he is still so weak Dean they're worried about his survival chances.'

'Dammit Bobby, why Sammy?'

'That is the six million dollar question.' Bobby sighed and readjusted his cap as he took a glance at Sam's still form, 'I can't make yer mind up for yer but ...'

'Sam couldn't live without any hearing.' Dean finished for him, 'tell the doc I'll sign the papers. Sammy's a fighter Bobby he'll get through this.'

'Yep that's one thing I'll give yer Winchesters yer all so freaking stubborn.'

Movement from the room's other occupant made both Bobby and Dean look over at Sam, tears ran down Sam's face and his long tapered fingers twisted unmercifully in the sheets, blood trickled from the ear they could see and immediately both hunters went straight to panic mode.

Dean pressed the call button without taking his thumb off it while Bobby went to Sam's side to check him. 'Both ears Dean.' Bobby reported his voice choked with emotion made it hard for him to get the words out. 'and it's not just a few drops.'

'Where's the freaking nurse.' Dean snarled pushing himself out of his bed setting off his own alarms.

'What is going on in here?' Maggie gasped out breathlessly, 'I was down the other end of the ward when I heard your neverending call.'

'Sammy, his ears are bleeding ... help him Maggie.' Dean begged his own pride battered and dented to oblivion for now, it didn't bother him begging the nurse for help.

'Oh my, Sam ... Sam?' She pushed her thumb against Sam's sternum looking for response to pain stimuli but he remained silent and unconscious. Tears tracked down the sides of his face and mingled with the pooling blood on the pillows. 'I'll be right back.' Maggie rushed from the room, without another word to either Bobby or Dean.

Minutes later she returned with a strange doctor in tow. 'Dean, Bobby this is Mister Hugh McDonald he is the specialist who will be doing the surgery on Sam.'

'Doc.' Dean and Bobby said in unison, both men giving him silent appraisals. With bright red hair and sparkling green eyes Mister Hugh McDonald looked like a stereotypical Scots man, down to the neatly trimmed beard and heavy accent.

'Please to meet you fellas but for now I want to check on my patient.' Hugh acknowledged the two family members, making a quick mental note that the brother is a patient also. With a quick but proficient examination of Sam's ears, throat and head, a glance at scan and x-ray films he muttered under his breath and made notes before listening to his patient's breathing.

'Maggie notify the OR that we're bringing an emergency in I want the theatre ready to go ASAP. This boy has no more time left.' Hugh said unblinking he stared at the nurse his whole demeanour showing the urgency of the situation and then he turned to face the family. 'Right I take it you are the brother?'

'Dean yeah.'

'And you're the uncle?'

'Bobby Singer, uncle and legal guardian.' Bobby said swallowing convulsively.

'Doc what is it? What's wrong with Sam?'

'The damage done to Sam's ears is profound, the worst is the fact that there are two bleeders flooding both of his ear canals. I am not going to lie to you, this surgery is tricky at best we can hope for maybe ninety percent return of hearing baring any complications at worst he may have perhaps thirty percent.'

'Both ears?'

'Both.'

Dean watched as the orderlies came in and transferred Sam to a surgical gurney, his brother's eyes fluttered and slitted open long enough for his gaze to meet Dean's before they slid shut again. 'Bring him back doc that's all we want we can deal with whatever happens, just bring him back to me.'

'I'll do my best Lad.' Hugh said his voice filled with compassion. 'Now the doctor will be in to check you out too Laddie, you're not looking too good yourself.'

'Just look after Sam.' Dean said tersely, 'shouldn't you go with em.'

'I'll be back in as soon as the surgery is complete.' Hugh smiled before he turned on his heels and strode out of the door just as Maggie came in with Doctor Lewis Windom they were deep in discussion only stopping when they came to a halt at Dean's bedside.

'What? What is it?' Dean looked at the nurse and then the doctor, 'Sammy? There's something wrong with him?'

'No, no from all reports he's holding his own in the surgery.' Maggie said laying a comforting hand on Dean's shoulder.

'You're scaring me doc what's wrong.' Dean asked sounding more like a small boy than a grown man.

'We have some of your test results back Dean,' Lewis said glancing at Bobby and then back to his patient.

'Whatever you have to say, Bobby can hear it.' Dean said swallowing deeply, he couldn't take much more bad news.

'Well first up the good news is that you are HIV free, of course you will need to have another test in six months just to confirm it but it came back negative.'

'That's the good news so what's the bad?'

'Your infection, the one that's just come up?'

'Yeah what of it?'

'it seems that there is a fragment of metal lodged in the tissue, somehow it got missed in your initial x-rays, it has started fester for lack of a better word.'

'So whatcha gonna do bout it doc?' Bobby asked for a shell-shocked Dean.

'Well the antibiotics we have you on are working, I want to run some more blood tests just to double check and we will have to do a small surgical procedure to remove the fragment and flush the area.'

'When?'

'Well, as soon as the tech comes to draw your blood I would like to do it now.'

'What kind of procedure?' Bobby continued his line of questioning, Dean's silence was deafening.

'We will take Dean down to imaging where we will administer a local anaesthetic and using a special scan and camera, I will make a small incision and remove the fragment flush the area with saline to make sure nothing gets left behind this time, redress it and hopefully we will have the infection beaten before it really takes hold.'

'Excuse me Doctor.' A young man wearing all white came in carrying a plastic hold-all filled with vials and other paraphernalia. 'Just here to take Mister Singer's blood.'

'Thanks, okay Dean I'll just go write up a few things and get imaging ready and we'll head off.' Lewis smiled and patted Dean's leg, 'for once getting an elevated temperature has worked in a patient's favour.'

'Yeah I'm so freaking lucky.' Dean mumbled too shocked to be able to understand what just happened. 'Bobby?'

Bobby waited for the tech to finish drawing Dean's blood and label the tubes carefully before hurrying off, when they were alone he took a deep breath and looked down at the look of confusion written across Dean's face.

'They found a fragment from the knife Dean, it could be cursed.' Bobby said, 'I'll ask the doc to see if we can get it for a trophy or something.'

'You think that ... that could be causing all of our problems here?'

'It's a tie to Merci so yeah could be.' Bobby said.

S---------D

Sam felt like his head was locked into vice and someone kept tightening it repeatedly turning the handle until he felt as though his head would explode. A strange smell tickled the back of his throat and nasal passages making him want to sneeze but he didn't have the energy. The smell nauseated him to the point of wanting to purge it, but he couldn't open his eyes or lift his hand to let anyone know.

His breathing fought with the nausea both wanting to dominate his abused throat, why couldn't someone see he needed help?

Again, he felt someone moving his head, tilting it to the side, and he choked coughing and trying to dislodge whatever was stuck in his throat. The pressure on his head tightened exponentially, pain exploded down his spine and flared through all of his nerve endings and muscles.

'Dammit he's aware.' A frantic call came from the anaesthetist just as the surgeon was ready to start the micro-surgery.

'He's fitting.' Called another nurse.

'Vitals are falling, we're losing him.'

'Roll him over and start compressions.' Hugh ordered his booming voice calming the panic inside the surgical suite. 'You know the drill people.'

Ten minutes later they stabilised Sam enough to check for awareness, satisfied with the battery of checks and tests Hugh decided to continue with Sam's operation, this time he made sure that his patient was flat on the raised table and he sat next to him. Making sure that they no longer compromised Sam's airways by having him moved anymore than necessary.

'Ah found the bleeder,' he murmured a short time later, cauterising the blood vessel he checked the rest of the left ear canal carefully, repairing the extensive damage as he found it, 'my God how is this lad still alive?' He muttered aloud not caring who heard him. 'Alright that's one side down we got another to go, how's he holding up?'

'Stats are down but stable.'

'Fine bring in another two units of blood and hook them up and I'll start with the right side.' Hugh left his registrar to pack and dress Sam's left ear while he turned his attention to his right. 'Oh my ... suction I can't see a thing in here.' He ordered, 'we have a ruptured eardrum and swelling, ah there's the bleeder ... more suction that's it ... got it.' He quickly cauterised the second bleeding vessel and then went about repairing the ruptured eardrum and stitched another tiny tear before he made sure that they flushed the area out and took a second look for further damage before he wanted to finish up.

Exhausted Hugh stood up and stretched, dumped his bloodied surgical garb into the bin and went to find Sam's family, just as he was about to walk down the hallway he heard the alarms going off behind him. Running full tilt back, he arrived to see to his patient seizing on the recovery bed. 'What happened?'

'We were just doing his obs when he started to seize.' The recovery nurse reported as she struggled to keep his head as still as possible.

'Damn it okay give him five cc's of Oxcarbazepine, what's his BP?'

'Two-hundred over one-eighty and climbing.'

'Damn, keep his head as still as possible we don't want one of his ears to start bleeding again. What's the BP now?'

'Dropping two no one-ninety over one-seventy.' The young nurse stared up at the doctor, 'his vitals are levelling out.'

'Good, good, I want him monitored every ten minutes, check the drainage tubes and schedule him for another dose of the Oxcarbazepine in four hours, I want to know if he has any adverse reactions or his BP shoots up again – immediately.'

S--------D

Bobby paced the empty room trying keep his wild worries from going out of control when he heard someone behind him. 'Fuck Rafe yer gonna give me a heart failure.'

'Sorry man, how are the boys?'

'Sam's in surgery to see if they can fix his hearing, and Dean's having a fragment of the knife removed from his hand. Both peachy keen so how are ya?'

'Geeze Bobby, and here I come bearer of bad news.' Rafe hung his head and was unable to meet the demanding gaze of his old friend.

'What ... bad ... news?'

'Cornase and Merci ... they're still around.' Rafe muttered.

'And?'

'Seems that Merci has been rather busy searching for the little one.' Rafe looked up but still couldn't meet Bobby's gaze. 'She ah she knows where the boys are.'

'Ah fuck that's all we need.'

'They're vulnerable here Bobby.'

'We can't move em.' Bobby sighed rubbing his eyes wearily, 'Sam's condition is still critical and Dean is running an infection neither of them can be moved.'

'So what do we do?'

'Fortify this room and make sure that someone is with them no matter what.'

'Why is that necessary Bobby?' Maggie asked standing at the doorway she glared up at Rafe, 'and who are you?'

'He's a friend Maggie, he just brought some news.' Bobby said trying to workout the way to word it for the woman. 'The woman who ... ran the cult that kidnapped Sam and ...'

'Who hurt Dean like that?'

'Yeah, she's ah ... she's after the boys especially Sam and she won't stop.'

'We have to call the police.'

'Already have ma'am but there's only so much they can do.' Rafe said with a shake of his head, 'we can look after the boys ourselves.'

'I just got the call, Dean is on the way back up, the removal went well and Sam is in recovery and should be back here within the hour.'

'That's good I think ... what is it Maggie?'

'Sam ... Sam took a turn for the worse on the operating table and again in recovery. The doctors will be able to tell you more but Bobby, your nephew is struggling to remain alive. He somehow became aware on the table and started to convulse and then again, in recovery he started convulsing again. It's almost as if someone doesn't want him to get well the poor boy.'

Rafe and Bobby exchanged worried looks, Bobby went to speak when the door opened and Dean appeared, looking dazed and exhausted, he docilely let them settle him in his bed, a small smile on his lips. 'Hey Bob-bb-bby ... Hey Ra-a-afe.' He slurred, 'gave me the goo-ooo-d stuff.'

'That's good son, so how about ya'll git some sleep?' Bobby said with a small grin playing on his lips.

'S-Sammmmy?' Dean sighed smothering a yawn.

'He's in recovery and be back soon, yer git to sleep now until he gets back.' Bobby said as he watched Dean's eyes slide shut. 'Sleep well kiddo.'

'Bobby when are we gonna tell em?' Rafe looked at his friend and then back to the young man sleeping blissfully unawares in front of them.

'When he wakes and he knows Sam's alright.'

'But what about Sam?'

'Need to know Rafe, and at the moment Dean doesn't need to know.'

S---------D

A striking young woman dressed in a nurse's uniform sashayed into the area and smiled sweetly at Maggie, 'Hi I'm Merlynda Smith the new temp.' She introduced herself, her voice deep and honey smooth.

'I'm Maggie, I'm sorry Merlynda but I wasn't informed about any temps on duty today.' Maggie eyed the woman suspiciously.

'Just got the call seems like one of the evening shift can't make it in.'

'Hmm alright, well you can get to work right away, have you ever worked in the ICU before?'

'No afraid I haven't.'

'That be right, okay our patients here are extremely ill, some critical and need constant observations and attendance. All visitors have to report when they arrive and leave and no more than two per room unless other orders are given. There is one room where we have members of the same family and they have a relative staying in the room with them.'

'Oh really are they both serious?'

'I didn't say how many of them there are.' Maggie frowned at the young woman, 'alright Merlynda I want you to check the bed pans and bottles starting on the east end, I'll get you help as soon as the rest of the shift arrive.'

'No problems.' Merlynda smiled as she left the nurse's station and headed in the direction Maggie pointed her in.

The older nurse frowned as she watched the temp nurse leave and then hurried to the room holding the Singer brothers. 'Bobby you mentioned a woman looking for the boys?'

'Yeah why?' Bobby asked moving away from Dean's bed.

'I just got a temp nurse, which is nothing new except that ... ahh it's probably nothing but I had no notification that she was coming, she had no paperwork with her and dunno just something about her.'

'Where is she now?'

'Doing bedpan duty on the other end of the ward.' Maggie grinned, 'she looks more like a model than a nurse, plus she has no experience in ICU.'

'Does she know they boys are here?'

'I did explain to her that we have the same members of a family here with their uncle staying permanently with them, now I never said anything about who or how many and then she asked if both of them were serious.'

'Thanks Maggie yer've been a wonder.' Bobby said feeling more than a little awkward, 'how long till Sammy gets back from surgery?'

'He's on his way down now, they have the convulsions under control now he should be here any minute.'

'Dean's out for the count with whatever they gave him.'

'Yes the doctor said it was a complete success, they gave him a nerve block as well as the pain relief so he might be pretty much out of it for the rest of the night.' Maggie went to Dean's bedside and checked his monitors and IV, 'I'll be back in a short while after they bring Sam back, I think that the boys might have to be quarantined for a while.'

'A quarantine?'

'Yes given Sam's precarious condition and the adverse reactions Dean seems to have to any strangers especially women for now, it would be prudent to ban anyone except for yourself, Rafe, the doctor and myself from this room. Especially a new and inexperienced temp nurse.'

'Thanks Maggie, I dunno what we would do without yer.'

'I have a son Mitch he would have been Dean's age next month.' She said her smile fading, 'a crazed woman took him from me and killed him. I have a bad feeling about this new nurse so...'

'Shame there aint more like ya Maggie.' Bobby smiled shyly.

S--------D

The young nurse watched angrily as a patient was wheeled past her towards a room at the other end of the ward. Perhaps this was not the best idea, posing as a temp nurse with Nurse Hatchet on duty.

As she stared she noticed the white bandaging and packing around his head, the various tubes running from his head, throat and chest as well as the myriad of bandages, she couldn't help smiling. Some of her best work caused this and she was going to finish her job, no matter who had to be disposed of or who got in her way. She will have her daughter back and revenge on Sam and Dean Winchester one way or the other.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do??? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**Author's Note:** Sorry this chapter is a little short but it is necessary to build up the rest of it. So please enjoy.

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Sam knew something was wrong before he opened his eyes, the neverending silence as familiar to him now as breathing gave him little comfort. His head felt heavy, as though someone wrapped a band of steel around it and kept twisting it.

A shadow passed over his face and he tried once again to open his eyes and to check on Dean. Panic clenched in his chest making his heart beat even faster, something was so wrong. He felt the heaviness on his face, he couldn't breath, and he couldn't push it away.

_An Hour Earlier__**  
**_Bobby sat between the two beds dozing fitfully, both boys were out for the night on strong painkillers, finally able to rest without nightmares plaguing them. Maggie came in just before her shift finished and gently covered the man with a blanket a gentle smile as she passed a hand over his bristled cheek.

Making sure that the two patients were right she left the room again quietly to find her replacement for the night. Rebecca White is the closest to a sister Maggie would ever have and she trusted her with her life. Briefly, she explained the situation with the Singer family in the isolation room, and why Rebecca was the only nurse allowed in there, especially not the temp nurse who seems to have vanished as quickly as she appeared. Maggie took Rebecca into the room and explained about the issues with Dean before she woke the drugged young man enough to introduce Becky to him and to make sure that Dean was comfortable with her. Then she woke Bobby and introduced her friend to Bobby Singer, the boys' uncle, satisfied that she had covered everything, Maggie said her goodnights and left the Singer family in Becky's capable hands.

Merlynda waited for Maggie to leave before lacing the water jug intended for the Singer brothers' room.

Slipping into the room she paused at Dean's bedside, a look of unadulterated lust on her pretty face formed forcing herself to look away she placed the water jug on the chest of drawers and poured a drink for Bobby. Then she pulled two small syringes out of her pocket and injected the contents into the IV ports of Sam and Dean. 'Sleep well guys.' Merlynda whispered before vanishing into thin air.

_Present time_

Rebecca placed her hand on the door handle of ICU room 103 when the code blue alarm sounded and she found herself running down the hallway to the opposite end. Merlynda stepped out of the shadows and hummed happily, as she went back into the room and stood by the door admiring the unconscious men before her.

Sauntering over to Bobby she checked to make sure that he had some of the water, frowning at the small amount missing from the glass Merlynda moved with blurring speed holding his nose tightly she forced his head back and poured the drugged fluid down his throat, slamming his mouth closed she forced him to swallow. Satisfied she stood back and watched him choke and lose consciousness once again sliding to the floor. Stepping over him, she went straight to Dean's bed and pulled the sheets down to the end of the bed sliding her hand under his hospital pants waistband she found what she seeked and started to stroke him into hardness. A soft moan escaped from Dean's lips as she kept stroking and squeezing him, finally she let go and smiled even more when he made a noise of disappointment at the sudden abandonment. Sliding his pants down over his hips Merlynda climbed onto the bed and lowered herself down onto his erection. Gasping she started to stimulate herself while she rode him, intent on becoming impregnated once again.

Bending down she kissed him viciously sinking her teeth into the soft flesh of his lower lip drawing blood, as she rode him to another erection she abused his mouth with her tongue and teeth, eliciting moans from her unwilling victim.

Movement on the other side of the room made Merlynda remember where she was and what she had to do. Sliding off Dean she readjusted her clothes and stepping over Bobby once again she found herself at Sam's bedside. Picking up one of the spare pillows piled on a chair she stared down at the youngest Winchester with disdain, he stood between her man and her. She knew that if it wasn't for Sam then she would be with Dean and their daughter.

Placing the pillow over Sam's face, she pressed down, humming softly as she watched his pitiful struggles to fight her off.

'What the hell is going on in here?' Rebecca cried out as she opened the door and saw the new nurse standing over Sam with a pillow smothering him. 'Get away from him this instant.'

'Bye bitch.' Merlynda smiled and vanished before Rebecca's shocked face. Pulling herself out of the sudden stupor Rebecca called for security and went to work on resuscitating Sam.

Fifteen minutes later they had Bobby on a gurney with an IV flushing him with fluids after purging his stomach contents, Rebecca called Maggie back in while she attended to the brothers and waited for the doctors to arrive. The security staff called the police and armed guards appeared at their room door and then more at the lifts and stairwells while others searched the hospital and grounds for the missing temp nurse.

Still in shock, Rebecca forced herself to work and to look after her patients Sam responded to the CPR but was still unstable, she placed an oxygen mask over his mouth and waited to see if his ox stats picked up.

Lewis worked on stabilising Dean who's heart had stopped twice with the shock of the trauma and new assault, the small hospital room resembled a mini war zone.

Maggie came rushing into the room just as Bobby started to regain consciousness, groggily he stared up at the woman with a look of wary trust. 'Sam? Dean?' He croaked out.

'They're both alive and here Bobby, ya'll be fine.' Maggie said running a hand over his cheek, her eyes filling with tears with the knowledge of what happened to her three guys.

'Dean?'

'She, she managed to get to him again, ... there's evidence of ...'

'Ah no, how, how is he?' Bobby swallowed heavily on the rising bile and vomit.

'Still unconscious whatever she gave you guys sure packed a mean punch.'

'Sammy?'

'She tried to suffocate him, he responded to CPR.'

'Where, where is she?' Bobby tried to sit up but a wave of dizziness washed over him quickly followed by nausea. 'Gonna be sick.' He managed to get out before the vomit erupted into the small kidney dish Maggie grabbed.

Gagging and screams came from Dean's bed, interrupting the sudden calmness of the room. Maggie hurried to his side but in his frenzied mind all Dean could see was Merci's face and he fought her off. 'Sammy! Where's Sammy? What did you do to him bitch?'

Dean, Dean it's me Maggie she's gone.' Maggie fought to calm Dean down before he started to seize. 'I don't want to sedate you Dean if you calm down you can see Sam.' Her words finally broke through his panicked mind and he calmed down enough to look at the nurse, 'Maggie?' He whispered.

'That's it Dean.' She sighed and released the tight grip she had on his wrists, 'Sam's in his bed.'

'He's okay?'

'He is now, she tried to kill him but he's stable and sleeping off the drugs like you should be doing.'

'What happened? How did she?' Dean felt his anger settle in and started to feel better, anger he could use, panic was, well useless.

'Not sure what happened yet Dean, the police are searching for her now.'

'They'll never find her.' Dean gave a mirthless laugh, 'can ... she did it again didn't she.'

'Dean...'

'Can I sit with Sam for a minute?' Dean asked effectively closing down the conversation before it really got started.

'Yes, yes if you want.' Maggie knew it would be the best medicine for both of the boys.

'Thanks Maggie ... Oh God Bobby you alright?' Dean stared in horror at the older hunter lying on the gurney with an IV attached to him.

'Yeah I'm fine, just a little woozy, gonna take more than that to keep me down.' Bobby grinned tiredly, he watched as Maggie helped Dean into a wheelchair and moved him closer to Sam's bedside. Stepping back, she settled herself at Bobby's side while they watched the brothers in companionable silence.

'Sammy, hey Sammy wanna wake up and talk to me?' Dean chuckled at his own choice of words, 'dude you can't let a pillow beat ya, I mean how girly is that?'

'D-Dean?' Sam rasped his brother's name turning his face towards his brother's voice, 'De?'

'Sammy?'

'Hurts,' Sam whimpered, 'head hurts.' His voice barely above a whisper but definitely stronger than earlier.

'I know dude they did an operation on your ears.'

'Dean?' Sam blinked and looked sadly at his brother, he could hear a buzzing sound but could only see Dean's lips moving. 'Dean?'

'Damn it,' Dean looked up when Maggie pressed a notepad and pen in his hands, 'thanks Maggie.'

He quickly scrawled on the pad and held it up to Sam, _'they operated on your ears.'_

Sam frowned and lifted a shaking hand to his head feeling the packing and bandages around his head.

'Dean ... happened?' Sam pushed his voice to the point of making himself cough violently. Quickly Maggie appeared with a cup of ice chips and slipped some down his burnt throat, he smiled gratefully and indicated for another piece.

_'No more Sam don't want you to vomit and burn your throat anymore.'_ Maggie wrote out and showed him, he gave a reluctant nod and laid back on his pillows, when the memory of something dark pressed over his face and he sat up struggling to breath.

'Sam?'

'Smother?' He rasped out between frantic gasps. 'No.'

'Hey, Hey Sammy it's okay.' Dean made Sam look at him and slowly they matched their breathing rhythms and Sam sank back onto his pillows exhausted. He watched as Dean wrote out the message, _'Merci got in, tried to kill us.'_ Leaving out the rest deliberately.

'Merci?' Sam mouthed her name and looked up at Dean, with a shaking hand he wrote out his own question. _'She hurt you again didn't she?'_

_TBC_


	8. Chapter 8

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do?? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

The little girl sighed and stared at the sunrise while she waited with patience beyond her years. Movement next to her made her smile and giggle not long to go now, with a mischievous grin she patted the face next to her and tugged on an ear. 'Wakey, wakey wanna play.'

'Mmph not now.'

'Uhhuh nows.' She giggled again.

'Mickie please.' Az scratched her nose and stretched, 'it's too early.'

'No, no, no, wanna see daddy.' Mickie cried again, 'Unc Sammy.'

'You'll see them soon enough sweety but first we have to wait.' Az said glancing at the bedside clock. 'Michaela! It's only six thirty in the morning.'

'Go daddy now.' Mickie started to pout, turning big luminous eyes on her carer.

'Your daddy is gonna be mad.' Az sighed.

'Nah-huh wanna daddy.'

'Okay, okay we'll go and see your daddy.'

'Now.' The little girl demanded wrinkling her little nose, 'Az silly.'

'No Mickie silly.' Az giggled in seconds she had them dressed and ready with just a wave of her hand and then she picked Mickie up and held her tight, 'okay kiddo here we go.'

A warm light twinkled and hovered between the two beds without raising any alarms. The room remained silent, the occupants blissfully unaware as the new arrivals started to coalesce.

'Daddy.' A high-pitched little girl's voice pierced the silence immediately waking two of the three occupants. 'Daddy.'

'Mickie?' Dean blinked and stared up at the faces of his daughter and her guardian. 'Az what? Who?'

'Daddy.' Mickie squirmed and twisted her way out of Az's arms and tried to escape to her father's arms. With a sigh of relief, Az handled over her precious bundle and then stood back and watched as father and daughter greet each other.

'Hey baby.' Dean buried his face in his daughter's downy soft hair, 'daddy's missed you.'

'Don' cry daddy.' Mickie cupped her father's face in her tiny hands and stared at him with a look that didn't belong on the face of a toddler. 'Daddy owies.'

'Daddy's fine now ... Az what happened? She stood still be ... safe.'

'She brought herself back,' Az said trying her hardest not to flicker and disappear, 'no one can explain it so she brought herself back and cried for you.'

'Mickie?'

'She was inconsolable, nothing anyone ... she only calmed down when I said that I would bring her to you.'

'Az ... Merci she's ...'

'I know, that is one reason why we ... they sent us back to you. She found out where we had her hidden. If she didn't wake when she did ... Merci would have her.'

'Fuck.' Dean breathed absently rubbing circles on his daughter's back.

'Dean what happened?' Az asked tilting her head to the side she stared at his pallid features and obvious injuries. 'She knew you were hurt.'

'Mickie?'

'Daddy ... Unc Sammy?'

'Oh God Mickie ... he's just over there.' Dean pointed to the other bed, 'and Uncle Bobby is asleep over there.'

'Kay ... daddy?'

'Yes sweety?'

'Love you.' She said throwing her arms around her father's neck, kissed him and cuddled tight against him, and then promptly fell asleep.

'Az?'

'What happened Dean?'

'Cornase and Merci.' Dean said unable to take his gaze from his daughter, 'they tortured Sam before we could get him back. The doctors had to operate on his ears, they don't know if ... he may not hear again.'

'Ah Dean, what about you?'

'She ... she ... I'll be fine, especially now I got this little bundle of worms wriggling into me.' Dean sighed sliding down onto his pillows he cradled his little girl against his chest and fell asleep, this time free of nightmares and drugs.

Maggie opened the door cautiously making sure that she didn't bother any of her boys until necessary. When she stepped closer to Dean's bed, she stopped and stared in confusion, a little girl wearing a black T-shirt and jeans cuddled against her patient's chest, her chubby thumb fixed tightly in her mouth.

'Morning Maggie.' Bobby said his voice rough with sleep, 'well hey little one when did you get here?' He grinned when he saw Mickie with her daddy, 'where's that guide of yours?'

A meow from the end of Sam's bed sounded in answer making Maggie turn around her mouth open in shock.

'Az stop spooking the woman.' Bobby chided the animal guide, 'ah guess you're wonderin' what's goin on?'

'Oh you could say that.' Maggie said, 'who or what is that?' she asked pointing at the cat cleaning her paw, 'and who?'

'First up the little girl ... she's Dean's baby girl Michaela but she gets Mickie and that over there is supposed to be her guardian and protector Azuraus.'

'But, but it's a cat.'

'Nuff of the cat stuff.' Az twinkled into human form, before starting to fade again.

'Az nuff of that come back here.' Bobby said mindful of the sleeping Winchesters, all three of them.

'Daddy?' Mickie blinked and stared at her father with a small frown, 'daddy sad.'

'Hey baby, no daddy not sad just tired.' Dean whispered not wanting to wake up and find it all a dream and Mickie was still fast asleep in the ground.

'Unc Sammy wakey.' Mickie sat up clapping, 'wanna Unc Sammy.'

'Az you mind?' Dean asked looking over at the animal spirit he realised that they were definitely here, in the hospital with him and Sam. 'Morning Bobby, oh hey Maggie.'

'Dean.' they both said together.

'Maggie have you met my daughter Mickie?' Dean said pride glowing in his eyes.

'Hey Mickie my name is Maggie.' The nurse said smiling at the solemn faced little girl. 'My you look like your daddy don't you.' Maggie said taking in the bright green eyes and smattering of freckles across her little nose, 'but you got your uncle's dimples.'

'Unc Sammy.' Mickie demanded impatiently pushing on Maggie, 'Unc Sammy.' As soon as she was placed on the bed next to Sam she moved until her little arms rested on Sam's chest her little chubby legs tucked under her belly she regarded him with a serious look and then reached up to touch Sam's ears and then his mouth. 'No, no Unc Sammy.'

'Mickie?' Sam opened his eyes and gave his little niece a wan smile, 'hey.'

'Unc Sammy got owie?'

'Yeah sweety.' Sam answered and then lifted his head to look over at Dean, wincing with the movement he swallowed down on it and smiled tremulously, say something Dean.' he rasped, his voice barely audible but loud enough for Dean to hear him.

'Whatcha want me to say bitch?'

'Whatever you like jerk.' Sam shot back instantly, 'I – I can hear you.'

'Sammy?' Dean grinned and tried to pull himself out of the bed.

'Hey hang on there mister where do you think you're going?' Bobby put a restraining hand on Dean's arm.

'To my brother ... why old man you gonna try and stop me?'

'Nope gonna give you a hand you over-reacting eedjit.'

'Oh ... ah thanks.' Dean showed enough respect to look chastised but still impatient while he waited for the help into the wheelchair and across the room to Sam. 'Hey bro.'

'Hey Dean.' Sam smiled hugging Mickie tightly 'hey button.'

'Unc Sammy.' Mickie wrinkled her nose and reached up to kiss her uncle's cheek running her fingers over his stubbled chin, 'better?'

'Will be Mickie, will be.' Sam smiled and rested his aching head against the pillows, 'tired though.'

Dean took Mickie from Sam's arms and nestled her on his knee before reaching up to touch Sam's shoulder, 'rest bro, we're not going anywhere.'

'Dean ...'

'Yeah?'

'Thanks.'

'For what?'

'Everything.' Sam said between yawns, 'love you and Mickie dude.'

'Okay now we're crossing the chick flick threshold.'

'Chicky-flicky.' Mickie squealed and clapped her hands happily.

Lewis stared at his patients with a look akin to shock on his face, both of the Winchester brothers who only a few hours ago were fighting for their lives, now were sitting up in bed talking and laughing.

The young doctor stared down at the cute little girl sound asleep on Dean's knee, knowing that their remarkable improvements were down to her presence in the room if not more. 'So little one how do you manage to have grown men grovelling at your feet?'

Lewis pulled up a spare chair and sat down opposite Dean. Maggie took Bobby and Az for a walk down to the cafeteria for a break from the room, while Sam, Dean and Mickie slept.

Dean woke and gave the doctor a small smile, while he watched the young man examine Sam, unable to stop his smile widening when he saw the look of shock on Lewis' face. Now he sat cradling his daughter tightly to his chest and faced the doctor's enquiring gaze. 'I didn't even know about Mickie before she came into our lives.' Dean said his voice barely audible. 'Even after everything she is still a miracle to me. Ah I dated Merci a couple of times and then we went our own ways never really gave it a thought until I found a little bundle on the backseat of my car.' Dean chuckled lightly, and his eyes misted as he recalled that day. 'Sam and I had no idea about babies especially girls but we worked it out.'

'You can tell she's your daughter.' Lewis said taking another long look at the toddler.

'Yeah only then her name was Isabelle and only five months old.' Dean smiled at his little girl.

'Dean can I ask you something?'

'Yeah I guess.'

'When you and Sam were admitted ... you were under the name Singer, but you said that you are Winchesters and little Mickie here is a Winchester ... I'm confused.'

'We ... we are Winchesters doc, that is our dad's name, when Bobby became our legal guardian it was easier to use Singer, made it less confusing. I didn't know when she had her, Mickie's mom put my real name on the birth certificate.'

'Ah, so Bobby is related on your mom's side?'

'Yeah, we dunno what we'd do without him.'

'Explains a lot, so I gather you want to keep the name Singer on the records?'

'Yeah please, thanks Doc.'

'Don't thank me Dean just make sure that you look after yourself and your family.'

'Intend on doing just that Doc.'

'Now the woman ... she posed as a temp nurse on the ward.'

'She is a sick woman doc, thinks she's some cult leader, they worship an evil demonic presence. I was totally ... I never knew about that until later, then she had kidnapped Sam and Mickie, playing the tragic victim herself, even had herself beaten up. Most of the scars on Sam's ankles, back and arms were when they held him captive. Long story short, she was going to sacrifice Mickie to this demon and keep Sam prisoner. We fought them for a long time, we even changed Isabelle's name to Mickie or Michaela hid her with some trustworthy people but they still came at us.' Dean took a deep breath and glanced over at Sam, not surprised when he saw Sam's eyes open and watching them silently. 'Finally, we thought we had gotten rid of them been nearly a year and nothing. Until ...'

'Until they got to Sam and Mickie again.' Lewis finished for him, 'Sam is not well enough to sustain anymore abuse ... perhaps'

'What is it doc?' Dean asked shifting Mickie slightly taking the pressure from his bad arm.

'I have a small clinic not far from here. It's where I started my practice, I work part-time here at the hospital and the rest of the time at the clinic. If we sneak you two out and to ...'

'Hide out in the clinic?'

'I have a small ward set up when patients just need observations for twenty four hours and not necessarily hospitalisation. It's fully equipped and Maggie won't mind doing some private nursing.'

'Is Sam well enough to be moved?'

'Normally I would be saying no way, but considering that she has already breached security once and is still at large it will be the best course of action.'

'Dean?' Sam's whisper caught his brother's attention immediately, 'please.'

'You alright with this?'

'Yeah.' Sam nodded, 'Mickie?'

Smiling Dean managed to stand up and pass his still sleeping daughter to her uncle, gently he laid her head on the crook of Sam's arm, mindful of his surgical incisions and other injuries. Sam sighed happily and brushed a kiss over his niece's head and immediately fell back asleep.

_'Ah Sammy my boy, how you doing?'_

_'What are you doing here?'_

_'Just wondering if you need another shot yet?'_

_'Don't need anything from you.'_

_'Oh I see, I'm gonna have to change that.'_

_'Leave me alone, leave my family alone.'_

_'Sorry dear boy I can't do that.'_

_'Why?'_

_'Well it's like this if Merci can she wants to sink her talons into you and keep you for herself, now I can't have that you're mine.'_

_'I'm no one's anything, why are you all so interested in me? I'm nothing.'_

_'Oh you're so much more than you ever could realise.'_

_'Get out of my head.'_

_'I will for now just remember boy, I can find you at any time, and any where.'_

_'Go fuck yourself.'_

_'Nope not yet anyway, I will be waiting for you, you just have to call.'_

_'You'll be waiting for a long time.'_

_'Something tells me that it won't be that long. How's the knee?'_

_'Fine.'_

_'And your hearing and voice?'_

_'I told you I'm fine.'_

_'And yet I can taste the pain radiating from you.'_

_'Leave me alone.'_

_'Enjoy your little family reunion Sammy boy, I'll be waiting.'_

'Doc, what's wrong with Sammy?' Dean asked his stare fixed firmly on his brother's face. 'There's something wrong.'

Lewis looked at Dean and then turned his full attention to Sam, when he noticed the tight lines around Sam's eyes and mouth, the pallor of Sam's skin, now more grey than white, and the way his entire body tensed.

'He's seizing.' Lewis cried, he picked up the now awake Mickie and handed her to her father before he lowered the head of Sam's bed and moved closer to check his patient, carefully. Just then, Maggie and the others came back into the room, instantly their chatter stopped and she rushed to the doctor's side, her nurse's side taking over. Bobby and Az went to stand behind Dean and Mickie, where they watched in stunned silence while Lewis worked on stabilising Sam.

'I thought he was getting better.' Dean whispered, 'Az can you take Mickie for me?'

'Yeah sure Dean.' Az smiled as she picked up the toddler, 'how's about we go for ice cream?'

'No.' Dean glared at the spirit and then shook his head, 'sorry Az I didn't mean to snap, but until we know what's going on it might be safer if you two stay here with us.'

'Okkies Dean.' Az said her voice low and trembling, 'we'll be over here.' She took the toddler over to the other side of the room and sat with her on the floor, an ice cream materialised in her hand and she watched as her little charge started to devour it.

'Dean?' Lewis' voice broke into Dean's morbid thoughts, 'Dean he's stable.'

'What happened?'

'Has Sam ever suffered convulsions before?'

'Huh? Oh yeah ... he had a – a cerebral ...' Dean's voice faded as he fixated on his brother's face, Bobby squeezed his young friend's shoulder and continued to explain to Lewis and Maggie about Sam's head injury from the last time they fought Cornase and Merci. How he had to be on anti-convulsant medication and had surgery to repair the damage. Lewis looked back at his young patient and his impressions of Sam grew even more. For both of the brothers, they were totally amazing.

'Dean?' Sam's eyes fluttered open and he tried to call out for his brother, 'De?'

'Here Sammy, I'm right here.' Dean moved closer to the bed and took his brother's hand in his good one, 'I'm right here.'

'Tired De.' Sam whispered, 'don't ...'

'Hey, hey Sammy come on please don't talk like that.' Dean squeezed Sam's hand tightly and felt his heart clench tightly, 'want to cuddle Mickie for a while?'

'M-Mick?' Sam blinked at his brother with a confused look on his face, 'here?'

'Yeah dude, she's right here.' As Dean spoke Az appeared at Sam's bedside and placed the squirming little girl down on the bed with her uncle.

'Unc Sammy?' Mickie tipped her head to one side and looked at her uncle with a serious stare, 'got bad owie?'

'Yeah.'

'Mickie fix?' and then before any of the adults could say or do anything Mickie scrambled up her uncle until she could reach his head, and placed her two small hands on his temples. 'Owie gone now.' She mumbled sleepily, curled into his side and placed her head on Sam's chest right above his heart.

Sam lifted a heavy arm and placed it protectively over Mickie before he looked up at the others, he gave them a small smile and then let sleep claim him once more.

'If I didn't see it with my own eyes ...' Maggie mumbled, she shook her head and bustled about straightening the sheets and covered both Sam and Mickie making sure that his IV line and nasal cannula were unimpeded.

'Doc, I think we might take you up on the offer.' Dean said, 'as soon as possible.'

'Dean, boy what is it?' Bobby asked as he watched Dean visibly tense.

'Something ... dunno but there's ... I just want to get them to safety before.'

'Cornase?'

'Huh? Oh yeah Bobby?'

'Rafe called me earlier, I didn't want to say anything while the doc worked on Sam.' Bobby said as he glanced up at the doctor and then back to Dean.

'Okay well Maggie can you come with me, you can write up the medications for both boys while I make some calls, we'll have you shifted from here within an hour.'

'Thanks Lewis.' Dean gave the young doctor a grateful smile and sank back into his chair, exhaustion finally taking a toll on him. 'Bobby what did Rafe have to say?'

'Get into ya own bed and I'll tell ya.' Bobby groused as he helped the younger hunter up but didn't help him any further just stayed close enough to lend a hand if needed.

Dean sat on the edge of the bed and took a last look at his brother and daughter as they slept cuddled together, Sam finally had a look of peace on his face. 'What's going on Bobby?'

'Would you believe that Rafe was contacted by Cornase, the bastard wanted Rafe to find you two and to bring em back.'

'Ah shit Bobby, can we trust him?'

'Yeah we can, I know what he did to Sam, and believe me he is gonna pay for that when this is all done. But he ... he didn't know who Sam was then.'

'What do you mean Bobby?' Dean laid back against the pillows, happy to be lying down for a while, he rested his aching hand on a spare pillow, now if he could just get the room to stop spinning around him everything would be good.

'I've known Rafe for years, more years than I care to remember. He knew your daddy and you boys when you were annoying brats.'

'Ha thanks for that.'

'I thought he died in a fight gone bad, didn't know that he made a crossroads deal. Cornase owns his contract, so I don't think Rafe would mind too much if that demon was out of his life.'

'He made a deal?' Dean blinked in shock, 'ah okay that explains a fair bit then.'

'Yeah it does, so Dean do I have to ya know knock ya out or you gonna get some shut eye yerself while they are?'

'Yeah, yeah old man geeze mother hen much?' Dean smiled as he let his eyes slide shut only to open them again, he stared at Bobby for a minute before he let out a sigh and drifted off.

'Dang fool boys.' Bobby gruffed scrubbing at his eyes, he sat back down on the big armchair near the window and watched his adopted family sleep. 'Fool boys.'

Az watched the occupants of the room with interest, humans never ceased to amaze her but these ones in particular scared and enthralled her at the same time. Her little charge has started to exhibit powers beyond her tender years, she wasn't even two human years yet. Dean, Az looked at him and sighed he had no gifts to speak of but he had power. Amazing powers and yet he was too humble to even realise it for himself. His loyalty, especially to his family made him shine brighter than any star she could name. Dean would give his life willingly for his family and as frightening as that was to Azuraus it was also inspiring for her. Then there is Sam, so sensitive, intelligent and talented yet he is another who does not know his own true worth. He has sought for his own path for so long it has become lost to him.

With a deep purring sound Az took on the form of a big tabby cat and curled up on Dean's feet, sending healing and warmth through his aching body.

For the first time in a while peace descended over the small ragtag group as they all rested for what lay ahead. Doctor Lewis Windom and his nurse Maggie Newsome moved into the room quietly, the transfer was set to go and now was the hard part, the large cat on Dean's feet looked up and hissed until she saw who it was and then she changed back to her humanoid form, not taking her eyes off them.

'Sam.' Lewis went to Sam's bedside and gently squeezed his shoulder to wake him, 'hey Sam can you wake up for me?' Finally, he was greeted with a pair of unfocused green eyes staring up at him, 'hey there Sam.'

'De?' Sam frowned confused, the face above him wasn't his brothers.

'Hey it's alright, Dean's asleep on his bed,' Lewis stood aside and gave Sam a clear view of his brother, after a few blinks Sam squinted and slowly Dean came into view.

'Doc?' He looked back at the man hovering above him.

'Yep that's right, we're going to get you ready to move, feel up to it?'

'De?'

'He's coming, you're all coming to somewhere a little safer than here.' Lewis said, 'we just have to get you moved onto a gurney without disturbing your surgical wounds and broken bones too much.'

'De?'

'He's waking up as we speak, don't worry about anything Sam.'

Sam blinked and closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again when he felt the icy cold invasion of a new IV drip.

'It's alright Sam, Maggie just gave you a fresh bag and added a dose of morphine, not much just enough so you won't hurt too bad while we move you.'

Sam nodded and felt the comfortable numbness move through his aching body, he felt them lift little Mickie out of his embrace and immediately he felt the loss.

'What's going on Doc?' Dean's sleep-filled voice filled the silent void, 'we ready to roll?'

'As soon as Maggie puts you in a sling and gives you some pain relief and we get Sam loaded and then we're out of here.'

'I don't need nothing.' Dean protested at the sight of Maggie and the syringe she had in her hand.

'Nothing you haven't had before Dean.' Maggie smiled 'come on you don't want your little girl to see you be a big baby do you?'

'Dirty pool lady.'

'Yeah I know.' Maggie smiled sweetly while she injected him with the medication and then she pulled a thin gauze like sling out of her pocket.

'What else you got in those pockets Maggie?' Dean asked with a cheeky grin.

'Oh wouldn't you like to know.' Maggie said as she quickly placed the sling around his arm and neck snagging it tight, his hand remained upright and virtually immobile.

'De?' Sam's voice carried across the room to Dean, 'De you kay?'

'Fine Sammy, just fine now.' Dean chuckled 'how about you?'

'Mmm kay I think.'

Bobby watched the two brothers carefully, something didn't feel right about having them both so out of it. He could understand with Sam but Dean was another matter; he took another look at the doctor, there was something off about the man, it was not something he could put his finger on though he had been in the game for too long not to listen to his gut instinct.

Slowly he pulled out a small flask from his jacket pocket and stood up, with a nod to Maggie, he stepped across the room to stand next to Lewis. 'So how are they?'

'Huh? Oh good, good they'll be fine once we get them out of here.'

'Wonderin' if you could do a favour for me doc.' Bobby said as he laid a hand on the doctor's shoulder.

'Yes whatever you want Mister Singer.' Lewis turned to face Bobby when he felt scalding water on his face. An unholy scream erupted from deep within him as he dropped to his knees, his head snapped back and foul black smoke plumed from his mouth.

'Bobby?' Dean tried to shake the lethargy from his injection and slid out of his bed, Maggie went to help him but he snarled and righted himself. 'Stay back lady.'

'What is going on?' Maggie demanded as Lewis collapsed, moaning softly as he tried to regain control his mind and body again.

'Wha – what happened?' Lewis moaned and slowly opened his eyes, 'oh god did I?'

'No, no they're all alright.' Bobby said, 'doc did you organise the transfer?'

'No, no but ... this is going to sound ... I remember thinking this isn't me doing the ... not to my clinic.'

'Ah okay, well I think we had better skedaddle outta here afore they come back.' Bobby said helping the confused man up, 'you feelin' alright?'

'Yeah, just a little weird.'

'I can understand that.' Bobby grinned, 'we'll explain everything when we get to the clinic.'

'Sam?' Lewis shook off the cobwebs and turned to face his patient, 'Maggie do you know exactly how much he was given?'

'The dosage on his chart.'

'Ah that's good, I don't think that there's any damage done they must have just wanted Sam to be pliable enough to shift.'

'They were going to take us on the pretence of ...' Dean shook his head again and swayed, 'Doc?'

'Dean what is it?' Lewis asked as he watched Dean's legs buckle and he dropped unconsciously to the floor. 'Dean?'

'What is it?' Bobby barked, 'Dean?'

'He's having trouble breathing ... Maggie what was in the syringe?'

'It should have just been a mild analgesic like you prescribed.' Maggie said as she picked up the empty needle and stared at it.

'Does Dean have allergies to any medications?' Lewis stared at the older man waiting for Bobby to answer.

'No, no don't ever remember ... nah if he had I'd know.'

'Help me get him back onto the bed.' Lewis and Bobby carefully lifted the unconscious Dean and carried him back to his bed.

'Daddad.' Mickie cried and struggled to get to her dad from the arms of Az. 'Wan' daddy.'

Dean stirred, he could hear the frantic calls of his daughter but couldn't find her, it hurt to breath and his body felt weighed down. A maniacal laugh echoed in his thoughts drowning out little Mickie.

_'Soon Dean very soon.' _The laughter grew louder until it hurt to hear it, he gasped and tried to sit up fighting the hands that held him down.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do?? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**CHAPTER NINE**

Dean watched the doctor and Maggie fuss over Sam as they resituated him on a bed in Lewis' clinic, his head ached like ten little men were running around in his head with sledge hammers dancing some whacked out tune. He barely remembered the trip from the hospital to the clinic, all he could remember was feeling weird and then Mickie snuggling up on him, that was it until he woke propped up in yet another bed.

He moved his head slightly to the other side and looked out the window, all he could see were trees. Big trees, ringing the property like a natural fortification, concealed amongst the natural setting was a sparkling steel fence line. Lines of red and turquoise rimmed the sky in a spectacular sunset, he suddenly felt at peace and it scared the shit out of him.

'Dean?' Lewis touched the young man's shoulder and shook it gently trying to get a reaction from him, 'Dean you with me?'

Dean frowned and wanted to swat the annoyance away, he stared harder at the trees, he wanted to go outside and be free, and he felt like everything was starting to close in on him. 'Dean, you with me?' the voice persisted and he could feel an anger, tingle through him like an electrical current. A flash of light made him frown and he turned his head slowly to the direction the light come from, a snarl formed on his lips when the doctor's concerned face came into focus.

'Dean what is it?' Lewis said as he put his flashlight back into his pocket, 'what is it?'

'Mickie?' Was the only word Dean uttered, he felt so angry and tired and used all he wanted was his daughter.

'She's with Sam let me bring her over to you.' Maggie said as she handed Lewis a small cloth covered tray.

'What's that?' Dean growled watching the doctor suspiciously.

'Your pain meds and antibiotics ... Dean are you feeling okay?'

'Just want my daughter.'

'And here she is.' Maggie said as she passed the little girl to her father, placing her against Dean's good arm.

'Daddad.' Mickie cooed but then her lower lip started to tremble and she started to cry, 'no Daddad.'

'Mickie?' Dean blinked and stared down at the little girl crying softly she crawled up his chest so her face was directly in front of his.

'Daddee.' She touched his mouth and then his eyes, 'leepy Daddee.' She hiccuped, sighing heavily she watched him fall asleep and then she huffed with satisfaction, 'bad gone.'

Amazed the two adults watched as she curled up in the crook of Dean's arm and cuddled her daddy, her little thumb sliding in her mouth she sat there watching the others in the room.

_Dean watched the trees bowing down to his daughter, animals came from through the brush and all lowered their heads to her and yet he felt terrified for the child. She turned her head and looked up at him a beauteous smile on cupid bow lips. _

_He felt icy fingers tighten around his chest and he bent down to pick his daughter up, and hugged her tightly wanting to protect her from the approaching darkness. The trees and animals stood in guard in front of them but the rolling clouds gathered above them, heavy black and grey clouds pregnant with rain, thunder and lightening._

_Wind howled around them, trying to beat down the living shield protecting them; a painfilled scream made Dean spin around and he saw Sam fighting creatures behind them, blood ran down his brother's arms and body as he waded his way through the bodies, discarding each one as he ripped it to pieces._

_'Sam.' Dean screamed, 'No!' He watched as the attackers over-ran his brother, with Sam collapsing under the weight of the hideous beings. Rain fell in large drops but it felt strange looking up when he realised that it was raining blood. Looking up he saw Sam suspended above them: disembowelled._

_'Sam!' Clutching Mickie tightly he ran the trees and animals parting as he passed them and kept their shield around them, protecting the father and child._

_'Don't leave me Dean!' Sam cried out, Dean skidded to a stop and turned to look up at his brother's body. But it was gone, instead Sam knelt with his arms outstretched, ropes wrapped around his wrists and held by two gigantic creatures, his muscles and tendons bunched and corded from the strain. 'Dean!' he screamed again, as Merci appeared to his side armed with a shining sword. Smiling maliciously she sliced Sam's stomach open with the sword and then ran her tongue along it lapping up Sam's blood._

_'Mommy.' Mickie screamed in terror as she clung to her father, 'no mommy.'_

_'You're both mine Dean, you just don't know it yet.' Merci laughed, when Cornase appeared behind Sam and gripped his hair jerking his head back, 'and Sam is mine.'_

Dean's eyes snapped open and he fought to catch his breath, his arm tightened around little Mickie, 'Sammy?'

'He's right over there.' Bobby said 'Dean what is it?'

'Bobby?' Dean blinked and tried to focus on his friend, 'where's Sammy?'

'Just there in his bed, dang boy what it is?'

'Nothing, nothing just a dream.' Dean dropped his head back on the pillow and took a deep breath, 'just a dream.'

'Talk to me Dean.' Bobby sat down next Dean's bed and tried to hide his awkwardness, he knows so keenly why Dean has such an aversion for 'chick-flick' moments, he felt the same way but something was bothering the younger man, something big.

'Gonna sound so freaking weird, I dunno Bobby maybe it was the dinner we had.'

'Dean you had a massive seizure before we left the hospital, you have been spaced out unbelievably now a nightmare? Dude this is normally Sam's territory not yours so spill.'

'Mickie and me were surrounded by trees and animals and they were bowing to her, then this storm came and I heard Sam scream, I turned around and he was battling these creatures. Fuck Bobby they killed him and then he was above us with his stomach sliced open, then I started running with Mickie when I heard him yelling for me, we turned around he was between these two creatures pulling him apart ... literally Merci stood in front of Sam and said that me and Mickie were hers, and then Cornase appeared behind Sam and said that Sam belonged to him.' Dean's voice broke as he finished recounting his dream.

'Shit Dean, it was only a nightmare, freaking scary one but a nightmare just the same.'

'Bobby ... I'm scared man, I dunno I feel so strange ... I really think I'm starting to lose it.'

'Dean, listen to me you and Sam have literally been to hell and back again. What that bitch did to you the two of you before and again now, most men would be dead by their own hands or locked up in a padded cell. You aint and neither is yer brother. We're gonna get em Dean and then you can have the honour of saltin' and burnin' that bitch's bones an' send her back to the fiery pits where she belongs. Her and Cornase both.'

'Will it ever be over Bobby?' Dean yawned and for a moment, Bobby saw a small six year old boy hiding behind his father's leg, all large green eyes and freckles spattered over a pale face.

'Yeah it will be Dean and God help us sooner than we think.' Bobby patted Dean's arm and sat back watching him fall asleep with little Mickie lying against his heart, her little fingers curled in his T-shirt and her thumb firmly fixed in her mouth. 'Sleep well princess an' look after yer daddy for me.' Bobby stood up, readjusted his cap and went over to check on Sam. 'Dang it Sam I thought you were asleep.'

'I heard Dean ... his dream.' Sam whispered his voice still sounded rough and faded quicker than he could talk sometimes but he was definitely improving. His ears felt like they had a massive wax build up going on and sometimes everything echoed but at least he could hear and speak again. 'Bobby can you ... can you help me up?'

'Sam, I don't think it's a good idea.'

'I've been trapped in a bed for so long, I just need to ...'

'To know if you can?'

'Yeah please, Dean's asleep, Az is well probably chasing mice in the fields and Lewis and Maggie are working it's just you and me.'

'Why do I get the feeling I'm so gonna regret this?' Bobby sighed scrubbing his face with his hands.

'Just for a minute no one will know.' Sam pleaded turning on the full-on kicked puppy look.

'I am so gonna regret this.' Bobby groused as he helped Sam sit upright to begin with waiting to see if he was gonna faint or anything, when he didn't he moved everything around to one side of the bed and then helped Sam swing his legs over the edge of the mattress. His braced knee still looked like a basketball and Bobby noticed the constant twitching in Sam's muscles. 'You sure?'

'Yeah please Bobby.' Sam implored him, 'how can I help Dean if I can't get out of bed?'

'Okay but you hang on to me.' Bobby sighed, he locked his own knees and holding Sam's forearms he guided the young man off the bed not letting go once. Sam felt his body slide off the bed pins and needles assaulted him shooting up his legs as soon as his feet hit the carpet.

'Argh.' Sam let slip with a wince which he couldn't hide from Bobby.

'Time for you to get back in bed Superboy.' Bobby grumbled when he saw Sam's pallor go from pale to ghostly white.

'Thanks Bobby.' Sam gave him a slight but warm smile as he sat back down and pulled himself up on the bed to sit rather than lie flat.

'You two kids are gonna be the death of me.' Bobby said, tempted to ruffle Sam's hair, 'proud of ya Sam.'

'Thanks Bobby.' Sam said shyly and then looked over to his brother's bed, 'how's he doin' ... really?'

'Dunno Sam, I would like to say that he's doing okay but ya know yer brother better'n anyone.'

'Yeah I know, wish our beds weren't so far apart, even at the hospital we were on opposite sides of the room.'

'Well that I can fix, hold on to yer hair.' Bobby grinned and unlocked the brakes on the bed and pushed it across the room, moving the IV pole and the bed until Sam and Dean were in arm's reach of each other.'

'Thanks Bobby.' Sam whispered and waited patiently for the man to finish fussing with the positioning of the bed and IV pole.

'Okay so I'm gonna go and get some coffee.'

'Oh yes please and I bet Dean'd love one.'

'No probs at all.' Bobby slipped out of the room and finally the boys were alone, just them and their little princess.

'Dean?' Sam whispered and reached out to touch his brother's arm, 'Dean?'

'Sammy?' Dean's eyes slit open and he smiled when he saw how close Sam was to him. 'What?'

'Got lonely over there all by myself.' Sam smirked, 'so I thought I could keep you company.'

'Gee thanks, dude ya know personal space an' all that.' Dean smiled, 'how you doin' Sammy?'

'Okay, aside from being as sore as all hell I'm fine, how about you Dean? I heard you tell Bobby about your dream.'

'What you talkin' bout Sammy?'

'The dream or nightmare whatever it was.'

'Don' remember ... actually I don't remember talkin' to Bobby.'

'Dean you okay? Truth ...'

'My head feels ... like I got a killer hangover the last thing I remember is getting an injection at the hospital.' Dean looked down at the pretty green eyes peering up at him, 'hey princess.'

'Daddee wakey?'

'Yeah Daddee wakey.' Dean smiled, 'Mickie wakey?'

'Silly Daddee.' Mickie giggled as she crawled up to kiss Dean, 'love you.'

'Ah love you too Sweety,' Dean kissed her back, gently he ran his fingers over her silky gold-blond hair, 'so pretty girl what you up to?'

'Hungy Daddee.'

'Mmm me too, what about Uncle Sammy?'

'Starving.' Sam grinned, 'hey princess.'

'Uncee Sammee.' The little girl crawled across her father's chest and leant against the bed rails, 'mooch.'

Sam lifted himself up and leaned over to kiss his niece before dropping back onto the pillows, 'nice mooch.'

'Well, well what do we have here?' Lewis asked coming into the room and found the beds moved and both of his patients awake and sitting up.

'Sorry doc I just got sick of being across the room from everyone.' Sam said jutting his chin in defiance, 'wanted to be closer that's all.'

'Fine by me Sam, so the pair of you look a lot better.'

'Feel better too thanks Lewis.' Dean said, 'so fine I reckon you can spring me from here anytime you like.'

'Uhhuh and when you get your medical degree I will consult your opinion.' Lewis said good-naturedly.

'Aw doc come on.'

'Nope, you had a massive seizure Dean we have to find out why.'

'I'm fine now.'

'Is that a catch phrase for the Winchester/Singer family? I'm fine.'

'Oh very funny Doc I'm laughing on the inside.'

Bobby burst in juggling a tray of coffees and a bag of donuts when he saw the doctor standing between the two beds, 'what's wrong?'

'Nothing at all Mister Singer, please come in, you might be able to talk some sense into this nephew of yours.'

'What's Dean done now?' Bobby sighed.

'Hey why does everyone immediately assume it's me who's done something wrong?' Dean asked trying to sound indignant.

A soft knock on the door interrupted the potential banter session, cautiously Bobby opened it and then stepped aside to let Rafe and Caleb in. 'What's wrong guys?'

'That young guard J.T. the police just found his body or rather what was left of his body.'

'Damn it.' Bobby looked down at the brothers, 'yer both safe here.'

'He was just a kid.' Sam said, 'he wasn't like the others.'

'Anything else?'

'Ah ... shit Bobby.'

'What is it Rafe?'

'When the police found J.T. ... they found these pictures.'

'Of what?'

Rafe nodded towards Sam's bed, 'I got a friend at the station, he managed to get them before ...' Rafe handed the package to Bobby and turned away, 'I'm so sorry.' He whispered before he walked out of the room.

'Bobby?' Dean called his voice strained with worry, 'what is it?'

Bobby opened the envelope and shook out the photos, they were all of Sam, at various times during his captivity. Even though he was the only one shown in the pictures it was evident that someone was continuously torturing him.

Minutes later a single gunshot rang out through the small clinic, 'Rafe.' Bobby uttered his friend's name and ran out the door with Lewis close behind. Dean picked up the photos and looked at them the little colour in his face drained away.

'Dean what?' Sam asked reaching over he plucked a picture from Dean's hand and stared at it, a strange detachment descended over him, he could see himself tied spread-eagled on a bed, his body littered with bruises, cuts, burns and welts of various sizes and ages. Someone stood just out of camera shot holding Sam's head in a vice like grip while another also out of frame used a thin rod to puncture Sam's ear drum.

Hyperventilating Sam dropped the picture and fell back against the pillows his vision clouded as he fought to control his raging emotions, flashbacks of the torture replayed in a continuous loop, in full technicolour.

'Sammy!' Dean yelled, he cradled Mickie with his good arm and tried to reach his brother unsuccessfully, his brother may as well be on the other side of the room again. 'Sammy talk to me.'

'They, they did ... Rafe did that.' Sam rasped, his body shook so hard it made the bed rock. 'He, he hurt ... they did that ... I felt it all.'

'Oh God Sammy please.' Dean cried out, 'come back to me.'

'They laughed, they laughed at me.' Sam sobbed, 'one of them ... while they hit me with ... he used his hand to ... they made me oh God ... he jerked me off while they whipped me.'

Dean pressed the call button and kept trying to calm Sam down but his brother was lost in a barrage of memories. 'they put my hand on a block and – and – and smashed it with a – a s-s-sledge hammer.'

'Sam you have to calm down.' Dean tried to reach over to his brother but with Mickie to hold on to with his good arm he couldn't quite touch him properly.

'They – they hung m-me from a – a – a hook and t-t-tied my – my feet to – to a ... s-s-s-so cold ... Smashed my knee with that – that h-hammer, oh God, oh God, oh God no, no, no.'

'Sammy please dude come back to me.'

'The needle that – that was the – the worst, never knew ... it – it – it hurt s-s-s-so bad.'

'Dean what's wrong?' Maggie came running in her face flushed with exertion, 'what happened?'

'Sammy please he needs help.' Dean felt his defences disappear, 'he's caught in memories of what they – they did to him.'

'Chains ... I member chains hit me – hit me with 'em over an' over an over ... they put weights on my ankles and left m-me hang-hanging f-f-f-from the hook. Heard the b-b-b-bone snap.'

'Dean he needs to be sedated, his blood pressure and pulse are ...' Maggie tried to remain calm as she quickly took Sam's vitals, she tried to ignore his ramblings, screams and whimpers as he recounted his ordeal. The photos scattered on the floor and Dean's bed caught her eye, 'oh dear Lord.' Maggie gasped when she realised what they were of, 'oh Sam.'

'Please Maggie help him.' Dean whispered, 'it's gonna kill him.'

Maggie glanced at Dean 'I'll be right back.' She said and hurried from the room to get a sedative for her distraught patient.

'Maggie what ... what's wrong?' Lewis came back into the small clinic, his clothes and hands stained with blood. 'Rafe killed himself.'

'Sam ... he saw photos of his own torture... that poor boy,' Maggie shook her head and held out the dosage she wrote down on his chart for Lewis to check.

'That's fine, inject it directly into his muscle, don't worry bout going through the drip he needs it now.' Lewis said, 'I'm going to clean up and change and then I'll be in, I don't think he needs to see me covered in blood.'

'Lewis what kind of monster takes photos while they torture a boy?' Maggie asked as she finished drawing the injection, and placed it on a small kidney dish before she hurried back to the boys' room. Without preamble, she wiped his right bicep with an alcohol swab and then injected the drug directly into him.

Minutes later Sam calmed down and laid quietly on the bed, he muttered under his breath but the stark terror was gone, his blood pressure and pulse rates dropped slightly and was no longer in the danger zones. Maggie went and got a basin of warm soapy water and a face cloth, humming softly she washed Sam's face, gently wiping away the tears, then she washed his throat and arms. Her caring ministrations soothed him and slowly he started to relax, until only a small sob escaped followed by a hiccup.

'Sorry.' He whispered hoarsely, so sorry.'

'Honey you have nothing to be sorry for or feel shamed about.' Maggie said as she continued to stroke his forehead and temples, 'now why don't you rest for a while.'

'Dean?'

'Right here dude.'

'Sorry De.' Sam half-yawned, half-sobbed, 'I'm sorry.'

'Ah Sammy, hey look at me, don't you dare ... Sammy look at me.'

Sam lifted his gaze and stared at his brother with bruised eyes and crushed spirit, 'I tried so hard to fight back ... I couldn't ... they wanted Mickie but ... but ... wouldn't tell em.'

'You did good Sammy, so don't you dare say sorry or feel guilty.'

'They ... they still got you Dean.'

'Nah I'm pretty tough.'

'Jerk.'

'Bitch, now get some sleep.'

'Dean ...'

'Mean it Sammy you get some sleep, I'll be here.'

'Saved Mickie.'

'Yeah you did dude you saved Mickie.'

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do?? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**Author's Note**: Please accept the biggest of apologies for the lateness, house-hunting, studying and writing don't mix so good! LOL But I will be making it up for it in the weeks to come.

**CHAPTER TEN  
**Sam sat silently watching Dean and Mickie play, the move to the clinic had been uneventful, if anything it was borderline boring. Sam remembered very little, actually if he was honest with himself he could barely remember anything after his last operation and regaining his hearing. Though he was loath to admit that his hearing was no where near perfect.

His gaze flickered over to Bobby talking to Maggie with their coffees in front of them, he was sure that something was happening between those two. A small wistful smile played on his lips as he realised that for just the briefest of moments they were having a normal existence.

_'Stop internalising Sam.'_ He heard his own voice snap at him but the need to internalise it all overrode the objection and soon silenced it. He needed to pick the carcass of his life one last time to make sure that there was nothing left for anyone else to pick from. The memories of his captivity replayed in his mind on a continuous loop of technicolour gore. The wheelchair hard against his sensitive skin only served to remind Sam on just how much he had failed recently. The discomfort only helped with his internal self-flagellation he knew he had to pull himself out of it but for now it was the only reminder that he was alive, well perhaps not alive but existing.

Dean kept glancing over at his brother, he wanted to go and comfort Sam but something deep down inside of him stopped him. How could he comfort Sam when he could do nothing for himself? He could still feel Merci on top of him, riding him like he was some sort of animal. The pain in his hand when she impaled him on the floor with knives. Unconsciously he flexed his fingers and tried to make a fist; a tiny hand on top of his brought Dean out of his self-pity-party and he smiled at his daughter, the one true light in his all-encompassing darkness.

'Daddee sad?' Mickie looked up at her father, her lower lip trembling, 'Mickie sad.'

'No, no baby daddy's not sad.' He said as he quickly scooped her up into his arms and hugged her close, 'daddy just needed a hug.'

'Ooohh big huggies, Mickie like.' The toddler cooed in her father's ear, 'wuve you.'

'I love you too baby girl.' Dean choked out, as his emotions tried to escape from the chains he had wrapped around them.

'Uncee Sammee?' Mickie lifted her little head and stared over at her beloved uncle, Dean let his gaze follow his daughter's, a small gasp of air escaped from his lips when he took in Sam's appearance. Hunched in the wheelchair his large frame seemed finer and more fragile as though a gust of wind would blow him away, piece by piece.

'Uncle Sammy don't look so good does he baby girl?' Dean muttered, 'how bout we cheer him up?'

'Yay, yay, yay.' Mickie clapped her hands and then hugged her daddy tightly, her little arms wrapping around his neck, she placed a big sloppy kiss on his cheek.

'Sammy?' Dean called softly not wanting to startle his brother but when Sam appeared not to have heard him, he became even more anxious than he felt already, 'Sammy?' he tried a little louder. When he still didn't elicit a response Dean let, his fears escalate carrying Mickie he made his way over to Sam, only then did he notice Sam's fingers twisting and fretting the threads of the blanket covering his knees and the vacant look in his brother's normally bright green eyes.

'Sammy.' Dean touched Sam's arm and crouched down next to the chair with Mickie balanced on his knee.

'De?' Sam turned his head and looked at Dean with tear-filled eyes, 'De?'

'Yeah dude what's going on?' Dean let Mickie go so she could play and toddle around them and then he pulled a chair up close to Sam, easing his aching body onto it he fought to find the right words to help his brother.

'Just too many things running around in here.' Sam said as he clutched his head with his hands, 'won't stop.'

'Sammy, hey look at me.' Dean managed to pry Sam's hands away from his head and got his brother to look directly at him. 'It's gonna be okay, we're gonna get through this.'

'Rafe killed himself didn't he?'

'He was already dead Sammy, he made a deal with the demon, and his time was up simple as that.'

'But, but he was sorry for hurting me.'

'Yeah he was, very sorry. Sam the demon owned his soul, he couldn't do anything else.' Dean leant in and tried to touch Sam's face and swallowed down on the compulsion to pull away not wanting to touch his brother with his tainted skin.

'Dean why ... why haven't they?'

'Why haven't they what Sam?'

'Why haven't they tried to attack us? I mean we're probably at our most vulnerable right now.'

'Dunno maybe Merci has found a new guy to terrorise for a while and left us alone.'

'They're gonna find us Dean.'

'We'll be ready Sammy.'

'How Dean? I can hardly move let alone fight, my hearing is shot and ...'

'Hang on Sammy, what about your hearing?' Dean's eyes narrowed slightly as he took in Sam's sudden change in demeanour, 'what about your hearing?'

'I – I'm ...' Sam stammered as he tried to pull his gaze away from Dean's face, 'I have trouble sometimes.'

'Sometimes? Trouble? Just what kind of trouble Sam?'

'When it's noisy, or more than one at a time talking.' Sam said dropping his head he let his gaze drop to the floor.

'Sammy, hey Sammy look at me.' Dean cupped his hand under Sam's chin and made him look up at him, 'we're gonna get through this, you're still healing it's gonna take some time.'

'I-I know, I'm just worried that ...'

'You won't hear them if they attack?' Dean finished for Sam, sitting back in his chair he never thought of that, 'Sammy we all have healing to do, but while that happens we're safe here. The wards, sigils, devil's trap everything is in place here and Bobby has the others watching the clinic no one is going to get through until we want them too.'

'Kay Dean.' Sam nodded but Dean had a feeling that Sam was only agreeing for the sake of it.

'Sammy please look at me.' Dean said a little louder this time, 'we have to keep it together little bro, Cornase and Merci feed off fear and pain, the worse we feel the stronger they become.'

'Sounds like you need to take your own advice too Dean.' Sam said with a small smile forming. 'Thanks Dean.'

'You're welcome bitch.'

'Jerk.'

'Bi'ch.' Mickie looked up at her uncle and father from where she played, 'j-jerk.'

'Ah no you don't young lady, you don't use those words.' Dean gently scolded her and tried not to laugh, 'come here baby girl.'

Mickie got up and toddled over to her father and climbed up on his knee, 'uncee Sammee?'

'I'm fine sweetheart.' Sam smiled leaning over he brushed a kiss on her fine blonde hair.

'We're gonna get through this Sam.'

'Yeah we are Dean,' Sam smiled tiredly, 'I might go and have a sleep for a while.'

'Kay, but get some help okay?'

'Kay.' Sam nodded and tried to push himself back to the bedrooms.

'And where do you think you're going?' A female voice came from behind Sam, but when unheard as Sam concentrated on getting the wheelchair to move. Maggie moved around to stand in front of the chair and squatted down in front of Sam, 'I'll take you back to bed Sam.'

'I'm fine, not a cripple.' Sam spat out a flash of anger on his face before he swallowed down on it and managed to look contrite all in a matter of nano-seconds.

'Didn't say you were, but I'm the nurse and you're the patient so deal.' Maggie released the brake and took a firm grip on the handles of Sam's chair, 'won't be long.'

Sam laid quietly with his eyes closed and hoped that Maggie would get the hint and leave him alone. He knew that she meant well but sometimes the nurse hovered too much.

He cracked an eye open and checked the room out before opening both of them to stare at the ceiling. He was tired that was no lie, but he needed to be alone for a while that was the overriding factor for him.

A blinding pain shot through his head making Sam gasp and writhe in agony. He clutched his head with his hands and tried to stop the assault but a flash of nauseatingly white light blinded him and he toppled from the bed, he curled into a foetal position trying to release the pressure building up in his head.

_A flash of lightening and then he saw a little girl lying in a pool of blood, her blonde hair matted with the viscous fluid, her little body broken and her large eyes open and glassy. A flash of lightening flared in front of his eyes again and this time when it cleared he saw the same little girl playing in a garden with a puppy. The flare of light again signalled a change of the scene and this time he watched as Merci took the little girl from the garden and toss her uncaringly into the back of a van. The flash this time felt like it was burning his eyes, silver flames licked at his body and face, making him scream silently. With a choked sob he saw the little girl's body splayed on an altar made of rock, he could see Merci standing at the head of the altar and a large misshapen man-beast flickered and started to come into view next to her._

'God Sammy please wake up.' Dean cradled Sam's head against his chest and tried to wipe away the blood pouring from Sam's nose, 'come on bro wake up.'

'De?' Sam's voice sounded choked and congested. 'Dean?'

'I'm here Sammy, come on back to me.'

'Wha' 'appened?'

'You tell me Sammy ... a vision?'

'Oh God Dean,' the vision came back to Sam slammed into him and took his breath, 'oh God.'

'Calm down Sammy, hey look at me you have to calm down.' Dean cupped Sam's face in his hands and forced his brother to focus on him.

Slowly Sam's breathing calmed down and he took a shuddering breath before he could speak again. 'I – I saw a little girl, older than Mickie but ah Dean she looked so much like her. I saw, I saw her lying dead in a pool of blood and then ... then she was playing in a garden with a puppy.' Sam's body started to shake violently, 'Merci c-came and t-took the g-g-girl, then, then I saw her. She was lying on an altar with Merci standing over her. Some sort of creature was trying to take shape.'

'You think that it was a sacrifice?' Dean asked horrified enough with Sam's recounting of the vision without seeing it himself.

'Yeah, Merci sacrificed that little girl for this super demon,' Sam swallowed convulsively and locked gazes with his brother, 'the little girl looked so much like Mickie could have sworn it was her except that she was about six or seven years old.'

'Can, can you get up?' Dean wanted to move, to pace, to do anything except sit on the floor.

Sam let Dean help him back into bed and immediately fell into a deep sleep, breathing through his mouth because his nose remained congested with blood. Dean stood staring at Sam for a few more minutes, his fingers tangled in Sam's fringe while he mulled over the vision.

'Dean?' Bobby placed a gentle hand on Dean's shoulder and made his presence known, 'whatcha want to do?'

'You, you heard?'

'Yeah I did,' Bobby turned his attention to Sam sleeping peacefully for now, 'man I have never seen a vision wipe him out like that before.'

'That was the worst I've seen too.' Dean muttered distractedly, 'Sam said that the little girl played with a puppy.'

'Yeah in a garden in the front yard but Dean do you know how many?'

'I reckon it's close by the clinic, think about it Bobby. Merci wants Mickie she has all along to use as a sacrifice, we have this place so tightly sewn up she can't reach Mickie but say she's running out of time.'

'So she finds another little girl, with blonde hair, green eyes nearby and takes her instead.'

'Maybe that's why the demon didn't finish coming through.'

'She stuffed up and thought that she could substitute a different child to her own.'

'Yeah, so if that's right at least we know that Sammy and Mickie are both protected here.'

'You too Dean ... Dean what are you planning?'

'We get her and finish this once and for all.'

'How?'

'Find the girl and watch for Merci to turn up and then take her instead.' Dean turned to face Bobby, a cold, emotionless mask on his face. 'She's going down Bobby.'

'Think about this Dean ... what about Cornase we don't know where he is, if you breach the safety zone here ... he could come after you just as easily.'

'We have to do something Bobby; the next vision could kill Sam.'

'And what will Sam and Mickie do if you get killed Dean?' Bobby hated to play the so-called devil's advocate, but sometimes he had to.

'I am not gonna sit with my thumbs up my ass waiting for them to do something.' Dean snarled, 'now either you help me or I go it alone.'

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do?? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Sam woke and instantly knew that something was wrong, the clinic was quiet, too quiet even for someone with hearing problems. Gradually he sat up and waited until the vertigo passed and then he lowered his feet to the floor, pointedly ignoring his wheelchair.

'Sam what the living daylights do you think you're doing!' Bobby groused as he came into the room just as Sam attempted to stand by his own volition.

'Leave me alone Bobby.'

'Dang it all Sam what about Dean? Whatcha think he's gonna say?'

'He's not gonna say anything if he doesn't know.' Sam huffed, 'well you just gonna stand there or you gonna help me?'

'Geeze keep ya panties on, someone got up on the wrong side this morning or what.'

'It's too quiet.'

'Come again?'

'It's too quiet Bobby, I woke up and ...' Sam sighed as he sank into the wheelchair and rested his head on his hands, 'I dunno how to explain it ... it felt quiet.'

'Okay I think I understand,' Bobby frowned and waited for Sam to give him cues on how to go, 'so where too?'

'Where are they all?'

'Having breakfast out on the patio.' Bobby said taking the brakes off the wheelchair, 'Mickie's callin' for her uncee Sammee.'

'Funny Bobby, so funny.'

'Aw come on Sam what's wrong this morning?'

'Nothing, everything I dunno,' Sam ran his hands over his face and tried to shake the uneasiness he woke up with. 'Where's Dean?'

'Last I saw him he was feeding his daughter ... why?'

'Nothing major it's just ...'

'Just what?' Bobby stopped and went around to crouch down in front of Sam, 'what's going on with you Sam?'

'I – I have a bad feeling ... I'm just being paranoid, let's go and get breakfast before Dean teaches Mickie too many bad eating habits.'

Bobby pushed Sam's chair the rest of the way in silence, mulling over what Sam had said and asked, or more like what he didn't ask. They found Dean covered in baby food and Mickie giggling so hard that she had tears running down her chubby cheeks.

'Wow Dean she is your daughter.' Sam quipped, 'she even eats like you!'

'Oh funny, ha ha.' Dean grumbled as he tried to clean the sticky oatmeal from his shirt, 'so not funny Mickie.'

'No honestly it's a good look for you Dean.' Bobby added chuckling when he heard the soft laughing coming from Sam, 'want some coffee?'

'Please thanks Bobby.' Sam looked up and gave his friend a small smile, 'for you know ...'

'Oh geeze get a room you two.' Dean muttered, 'too soppy in here or what princess?' he picked Mickie up and immediately stripped her soiled pyjamas off, 'someone needs a bath.'

'I'll bath her if you like.' Maggie said as she stepped through the doorway, 'come on munchkin let's let these men to their coffee.'

'Dang I know I liked that woman for a reason.' Bobby smiled and took the fresh pot of coffee from her.

'Keep it up Bobby and you might get some cake later on.' Maggie grinned and carried the squirming toddler inside to bathe.

'Sammy you okay?' Dean turned around to look at his brother, when he saw the dark smudges under Sam's eyes and the pallor of his cheeks, 'what's wrong?'

'Just tired I guess,' Sam smiled slightly and gave his shoulders a small stretch, 'actually I might go and see if I can give Maggie a hand in bathing Mickie.'

'Sammy?'

'I'm fine Dean really, just tired.' Sam slowly pushed his wheelchair away from his brother and friend, he needed time to think and to disconnect from his thoughts at the sametime. 'Okay Sam you really are losing it.' He muttered as he swung into the bathroom in time to see Mickie completely douse Maggie with bath water and bubbles.

S—D

Dean turned to face Bobby, 'so we ready to go?'

'What are you going to tell Sam?'

'We're going for supplies.' Dean said a little sharper than he intended and winced when he saw the lines around Bobby's eyes tighten. 'Sorry I didn't mean to ...'

'Yeah I know we're all on edge here but you gotta keep it together Dean.'

'Why? Why do I have to keep it together?' The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them and the look of shock on his friend's face was the undoing of Dean. 'Oh God Bobby I am so sorry.'

'Dang it Dean whatever I ... don't you ever apologise for being human, you're allowed to feel too.'

'It's just ... I have to be strong for Sam, and for Mickie and ah damn it they're the only family I have left oh yeah and you old man.'

'Nuff of the old.'

'Yeah, yeah I can't afford to lose it Bobby.'

'Dean you were raped and tortured.' Bobby said deciding it was time to stop 'pussy-footing' around with Dean. 'You're allowed to be human.'

'Yeah well I'm Batman didn't you get the memo.'

'And Batman still had his weaknesses; he was still allowed to feel once in a while.'

'I'm no victim Bobby.'

'I didn't say that you were, but ...'

'No buts Bobby, we go in find the enemy, kill em, salt and burn. Done deal.'

'What about afterwards Dean? When you get to stop and think about what that bitch did to you?'

'Bobby.'

'No Dean, it's just you and me here, if you can't talk to Sam then talk to me.'

'I can't talk to Sam about this.'

'Why?'

'Look what they did to him Bobby ... he's so strong Bobby, they did ... they did things to him and ... I have to be strong, I can't.'

'That's bullocks and you know it Dean, dang it boy what they did to the two of you was awful and demeaning and shouldna happened to you or anyone for that matta. But that doesn't take anything away from the fact that you were both victims, they did those things to the two of you. You're allowed to be scared, angry, sad, whatever you're allowed to be human Dean.'

'I aint in need of twenty cent therapy Bobby.'

'Yeah well I aint givin' any, I'd charge more.' Bobby shoved his cap up his head and dragged it back down before he spoke again, 'so whatcha want to do?'

'Get cleaned up and head out, scope out the area and see what's going on.' Dean said, 'thanks Bobby.'

'For what?'

'For ...' Dean shrugged and then heard his daughter squealing and yelling for her daddy, 'saved by the baby.' He grinned and went to go inside.

S—D

Sam watched Maggie playing with his niece while she bathed but decided to join the others and to try and stop analysing his every thought. Slowly he wheeled himself back to the patio door and went to reach for the handle when he heard the heated discussion between Bobby and Dean. He knew that it was wrong to listen but he found that he couldn't help himself.

He felt his breathing hitch as he heard Dean's words, each one dug in a little deeper and his shame grew a little more. His hearing still not the best made him strain to hear everything his brother said and most of it added to his own pyre of guilt and self-loathing, it was his fault that Merci had raped and tortured Dean. If he had been stronger then none of this would have happened.

'Damn it Dean.' he muttered and pushed the chair away from the door and headed back into the clinic. He knew what his brother was intending to do, and decided that it was time for him to stop acting the victim and be the hunter he was supposed to be, broken body and all.

With shaking hands, he reached up to open the main doors and then wheeled himself through them and out the front of the building. He scanned the area first to make sure that no one was watching before he manoeuvred the chair to the footpath he kept going until he was sure that he was out of sight before he set the brakes and managed to lift the foot rests, he had his canes braced on the back of the chair, craning around he reached the first one and used it to balance himself. When he felt ready he grabbed the other one and slowly but surely made his way on foot. Shuffling slightly and leaning heavily on his canes he managed to keep himself upright and mobile.

He could see the garden from his vision so clearly he knew that he would recognise it immediately. Hot, sweaty and in pain Sam clenched his teeth and dragged his unco-operative body down another street, only coming to a stop when he saw the garden.

His breath came in ragged gasps and he could see black dots in front of his eyes as he took cover under a large tree and watched the house.

'Nice to see you up and about Sammy boy, I really didn't think that I would see you so soon.' A familiar voice came from the shadows, slowly Sam turned around to see Cornase standing behind him. 'Nice to see ya Sammy.'

'I should've known, you gave me that vision didn't you.' The realisation dawned on Sam as he realised the trap he walked into.

'Yeah, probably making ya suffer like I did was a bit of overkill but it was fun.'

'Why don't ya get a life?' Sam turned and went to move away when his legs gave way and he stumbled to the ground. 'Damn it.' He spat out as he landed heavily on his still healing wrist. 'Damn it all to hell.'

'No my darling boy, not all just you.' Cornase gloated as he hovered over Sam's inert form, 'I have missed you beautiful boy.' He sighed and ran a hand down Sam's face and neck, 'I have truly missed you.'

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

**Road Less Travelled**

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do?? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

'Touch my brother again and you will be touching the inside of your own ass.' A deathly cold and quiet voice came from behind Cornase, turning the demon stared first at the muzzle of the gun aimed directly at his chest and then at the face behind it.

'Dean, Dean, Dean so good to see you can still hold a gun.'

'Move away from Sam now.' Dean said his voice devoid of any emotions, 'move and I will be kind.'

'Now, is that any way to talk to the one who can save your brother's life?'

'Get the fuck away from him now.' Dean took a step closer and at the sametime pulled the trigger, his aim true and the bullet hit Cornase's shoulder directly above his supposed heart. 'Next one to that empty head of yours.' Dean snarled his upper lip curling in disgust, 'Sam you alright?'

'Dammit Dean, what?' Sam blinked and tried to grasp what his brother was saying as well as what had just happened. Dean rescued him again. Once again, the pathetic Sam Winchester was too weak to look after himself. Sam swallowed deeply and half crab crawled half dragged himself to a sitting position against the tree, breathing heavily from the effort it took, Sam blinked and squinted up at his brother, 'what?'

'What the fuck do you think you were doing Sam?' Dean growled, he wanted to both hug his brother and strangle him for making him worry, 'fuck Sam.'

'I'm fine Dean.'

'Yeah I can see that.'

'Hey you two,' Cornase broke into the bickering, 'ah shot demon here.'

'Yeah well I can fix that.' Dean took aim again but this time he aimed directly at the centre of Cornase's chest.

Cornase blanched gave Sam a look of regret, 'I'll be back for you my pretty one,' he whispered before disappearing into a puff of black smoke. The host body slumped lifelessly to the ground, already dead long before the shooting and the demon possession.

'What the fuck do you think you were doing Sam?' Dean thundered as he dropped to his knees next to Sam and start to look for injuries.

'Nothing Dean coz that's all I'm good for now isn't it.' Sam snarked back, his anger and humiliation flooding out in a rush of emotion. 'Poor crippled and deaf Sam can't do a fucking thing. Can't even leave the house on his own coz he's so fucking pathetic.'

Dean sat back on his haunches in shock as he heard his brother's rant, filled with self-loathing, doubt but above all fear. 'Sammy?'

'Dammit Dean how can I go on like this? No one wants to know me anymore, I'm just the pathetic guy in a wheelchair.'

'Sam that's not true.' His anger diminished as quickly as it started when he saw the look of despair shining in his brother's painfilled eyes, 'come on let's get you home.'

'No.'

'No? Sorry Sam I didn't think that I was the one with a hearing problem I thought you just said no.'

'I can't go back, you can just pass me my crutches.' Sam insisted setting his jaw he glared up at his brother daring him to fight back.

'What are you playing at Sam? You can barely hold your head up man.'

'Dean I have to be here ... I have to do this.'

'This what is this? What the hell is so important that you would risk your health for?'

'I have to find that little girl.'

'Your vision?' Dean stood up and started to pace, angrily swiping the sweat on his face, 'you're risking everything, you're health fuck your life all because of a freaking vision?'

'Yeah well last time I looked that's what we're supposed to be doing. Protecting innocents. Sam shot back levering himself up the tree he stood braced against the hard bark breathing heavily from the exertion. 'Dean ... I'm tired, I'm tired of being a victim of being helpless. I just want my life back.'

'I hear ya bro, I do and I understand but geeze Sam you gotta understand that you have to take it slow.'

'Yeah right, how much slower should I go? Even a fucking snail would beat me.' Sam snorted, 'can ya at least give me my crutches back?'

'Yeah sure.' Dean picked up the aides and passed them to Sam, 'how the fuck did you manage to get all the way here without help?'

'Slow meticulous steps.'

'Meticulous huh?' Dean grinned, 'that sounds rather kinky.'

'Dean!' Sam shook his head and stared at his brother for a minute, 'sorry I took off on ya.'

'I know but don't expect me to apologise to ya for whaling on ya just then, coz I meant it.'

'Jerk.' Sam tried for calm but instead sounded even weaker than before. 'I'll be back later.'

'Nope speedy not so fast.' Dean held tightly to Sam's left arm anchoring him, 'not going anywhere without me buddy so deal.'

'Dean!'

'No I mean it Sam.'

'No Dean look.' Sam nodded to a spot behind his brother; Dean turned and looked in the same direction where he saw the little girl with long blonde hair and a puppy chasing after her. 'That's her.'

'Shit, okay we got rid of Cornase for now but Merci.' Dean scanned the area and then turned to look at his haggard looking brother, 'Sam I gotta get you back dude.'

'Don't you dare.' Sam ground out as he finally managed to tug his arm free from Dean's iron-grip and started towards the little girl.

Dean cussed under his breath and hurried after his younger brother, 'dammit Dean.'

'Hey my name's Sam ... I like your puppy what's his name?' Sam asked putting his nicest and most trusting smile on his face.

'Sarah.' The little girl said shyly, 'my puppy is Princess.'

'Course she is.' Dean muttered, 'hey Sarah my name's Dean do you live around here?'

'Uhhuh, my momma and me we live in that house over there.' Sarah pointed to a small cottage surrounded by a lush rose garden. 'We moved in last week.'

'How old are you Sarah?' Sam asked as he petted the little dog.

'I'm eight years old.' She said proudly, 'we're you from?'

'We're staying at the clinic.'

'Ah okkies, what's wrong with you?'

'I ah got hurt but I'm getting better, umm Sarah there's a really nasty lady around here, it might be safer if you go home and stay there.' Dean said crouching down to look at the little girl, she could easily pass as Mickie's sister.

'How come?'

'We don't want you to get hurt.'

'Are you a police man?'

'Something like that, do you want us to take you home to talk to your momma?'

'Nah it's okay, come on Princess.' Sarah called to her puppy, waved goodbye to the brothers and then ran back to her home, 'Momma!'

'Come on Sam let's get outta here.' Dean said as he watched the little girl disappear into the house, 'let's get you back.'

'Dean ... how can we ... how can we stop her?'

'We'll find a way Sammy we always do.'

'Cornase claimed that he gave me that vision, to lure me out, that it was a trap.' Sam blurted out, 'I screwed up again.'

'No, no you haven't think Sam, if Cornase fed you that vision it was for a reason, the girl exists ... you saw her here just as you did in the vision there's more to it than just wanting to lure you out.'

'This stinks Dean.'

'Yeah it does to high heaven let's get back and regroup.' Dean glanced around and then shepherded his brother back to the impala. 'There's my girl.'

'Dean!' Sam shook his head, 'Dean!'

'Sam?' Dean ran back to his brother just in time to catch Sam as he toppled backwards, 'Sammy?'

'Ah hurts, head ... ah!' Sam cried out as another vision assailed him.

S—D

Bobby paced the driveway of the clinic like a man possessed or rather obsessed, when they had found Sam gone he thought that Dean was going to lose it altogether. Thankfully little Mickie was asleep and didn't witness her father's rather violent melt down. Now both the boys were gone who knows where and Bobby felt more than just little frustrated.

'Where the hell are ya?' Bobby barked into his cell answering it after only one ring.

_'Bobby ... I found Sam, I'll explain everything when we get back.'_

'What is it Dean?'

_'Sam's had another vision, this one was worse than the last. He ahh hasn't come back_ _around.'_

'Where are you? I'll come to you?'

_'We're in the impala, we'll be back in a few minutes, might be an idea to have the doc waiting and ah Bobby I have a feeling that we're coming in hot.'_

'What now just one danged minute, whatcha mean by coming in hot?'

_'Not sure but Cornase has already tried to take Sam, and I have no idea on where Merci is._'

'Okay boy, just get yerselves back here and we'll do the rest.'

_'Thanks Bobby.'_

Ten minutes later the impala skidded to a stop in the garage, Bobby sealing inside with the roller door before running to help Dean struggle with an unconscious Sam.

'Doc help him please.' Dean implored Lewis as the young doctor appeared in the doorway linking the house and garage.

'In here quickly, Bobby and I have set up a room, they shouldn't be able to harm Sam in there.' Lewis replied mysteriously.

Between Dean and Bobby they managed to get Sam into the specially protected room and lying comfortably on the bed. 'He hasn't regained consciousness since the vision.' Dean said unable to take his eyes from his brother's pale face, 'he went into convulsions and then ...'

'He's gonna be fine Dean.' Lewis smiled and patted the distraught brother's arm, 'I have a feeling that Maggie is gonna need you, that daughter of yours is truly hyperactive.'

'Nice try Doc, but Az will be around somewhere to help, she's never far away.'

'Last I saw of her, she was a big fat tabby lying under the lemon tree.' Bobby shook his head; he could never quite understand the animal spirit.

'De-De'n?' Sam moaned and tried to open his eyes, he could hear voices in the background but they were muffled and mingled together indistinguishable to him.

'Sammy?' Dean breathed and hurried to his brother's side, carefully lowering himself onto the side of the bed he took Sam's hand in his own and with his other brushed the long fringe away. 'Sammy?'

'Dean?' After a few more aborted attempts Sam managed to get his eyes open, blearily he blinked and stared up at his brother, 'what happen?'

'Sam you feeling okay?' Lewis came into his line of sight, 'hey Sam.' He touched his patient's arm and tried to get his attention.

'Huh?' Sam rolled his head stiffly and tried to focus on Lewis, 'wha' L-Lew?'

'Damn.' Lewis muttered repeatedly as he examined Sam and then he moved away from the bed and indicated for Dean and Bobby to follow.

'What?' Both hunters demanded at the same time.

'Sam needs an MRI, at least a CAT scan, I need to do more tests but I think ... I think that he may have had a stroke.'

'A what?' Dean blinked furiously as he tried to take in what the doctor was saying.

'A stroke, but ... it didn't follow any normal patterns and symptoms ... following the vision I hesitate to say this given my lack of expertise in the area but it seems to be unnaturally brought on.'

'So you're saying something supernatural caused Sam to have a stroke?' Dean ran his fingers through his short spikes and then looked up at the others horrified as he realised what Sam was telling him before. 'Cornase tried to take Sam before, he – he told Sam that he gave him the vision, the one before this to lure him out of here. Then when we get rid of him, Sam has another one and now ... has a stroke.'

'So demonic interference once again.' Bobby snapped, 'dang it all, dang it all to hell.'

'De?' Sam's soft voice filled the room, 'Merci ... Sarah ... Mickie.' The soft slur on each name sent shivers down Dean's spine and he turned his back on the others and returned to his brother's side: Where he belonged and will continue to belong.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do?? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

Dean watched Sam play with Mickie and for a moment, everything felt normal, too normal. He scrubbed at his two day stubble growth and then rubbed his eyes wearily he wanted to sleep so badly but was afraid to. He didn't know if Sam was still going to be there if he slept.

'Uncee Sammee booboos?' Mickie cooed and kissed her uncle's cheek cupping his chin with her small hand she stared up into his eyes and smiled, 'no more booboos.'

'Thanks Sweetie.' Sam sighed and kissed her back, 'I so needed that.'

'Sam how you doing?' Dean sat down on the bed next to Sam's legs and patted them affectionately, 'Mickie keeping ya company?'

'Dude I just wanna go outside.' Sam sounded more like a four year old than an adult, 'I am so tired of these four walls.'

'I know man, but remember what the Doc said,'

'I know but…'

'Just a few more days Sammy that's all.'

'This sucks big time Dean.'

'I know man I really do.'

'Morning boys.' Bobby came into the room and stared solemnly at the two young man, 'hey how's my girl?' He picked Mickie up and gave her a big hug.

'Uncee Sammee got booboos.' Mickie said with a small pout, 'Uncee Sammy is sad.'

'I know little one so what should we do?'

'Outside?' Mickie clapped her hands excitedly.

'yep the doc gave the all-clear.' Bobby grinned, 'what do ya think boys?'

'How? I mean Sam's totally vulnerable outside.' Dean protested as he took his daughter from Bobby and sat back down with her on his knee. 'What's going on Bobby?'

'Goin' on?' Mickie mimicked her father's voice and giggled happily, as she chewed on his fingers.

'Ouch, honey daddy's not a teething ring.' Dean protested softly, 'Sam?'

Sam looked up when he felt Dean's touch on his arm, he blinked and stared first at Dean and then up at Bobby, he could feel his emotions starting to rampage again when he realised that he had no idea on what they were talking about. 'What?'

'Doc said that you could go outside if you want to.' Dean said slowly and made sure that Sam could see his lips, 'you're doing better.'

'Tired, might sleep for a while.' Sam muttered sullenly, 'might after.'

'What's going on Sam?' Dean asked only minutes ago Sam was begging to go outside and now all he wanted to do was sleep.

'Tired.'

'Nope don't believe ya so try again.' Dean snarked, 'Bobby do you want to take Mickie out to Maggie I think it's time for her snack.'

'Daddy?' Mickie whined, 'want daddy.'

'In a minute Sweetie daddy just wants to talk to uncle Sammy.'

'No!' Mickie set her face and stared at her father, almost daring him, 'Mickie no go.'

'Mickie!' Dean growled and then stopped himself when he saw that familiar stubborn set of the jaw and grinned, 'dam-dang it all you look so much like your uncle.' He couldn't help but laugh at his daughter's stubbornness. 'and probably just like me too.'

'Ya think Dean?' Bobby grinned back appreciating the levity even if it was only for a few moments.

Tears fell down Sam's face as he watched the interactions between his brother, the man he considered a father and his precious niece. He felt so alone just then; even surrounded by them, he was alone, 'I'll be okay I just need to rest first.' He mumbled shamefacedly as he slid back down into the bed and turned his face towards the wall. Mickie squirmed in her father's arms until he put her down on the bed, once freed she crawled up over her uncle's inert form until she sat on his chest where she sat and regarded him with a serious stare, her arms folded across her chest, 'Uncee Sammee play wif Mickie.'

'Sorry sweetie but uncle Sammy doesn't feel so good.' Sam tried to protest but was quickly silenced when he saw her face, the reddening of her cheeks and the look of thunder building in her eyes. 'Mickie?'

'Wanna go wif Uncee Sammee.' She started her voice rising sharply as the tantrum started.

'Okay, okay calm down Mickie I'll go outside with you.' Sam sighed and started to chuckle softly as she calmed down just as fast as the tantrum started. 'You sure know how to work your uncle.'

'That's daddy's girl.' Dean beamed proudly, another awkward emotional scene averted by his little girl, his smile faded when he saw the dejected look on Sam's face this had to stop. 'Sam dude what is it?'

'What?' Sam blinked but avoided looking at his brother as he sat Mickie next to him and slowly pulled himself up, 'I'm fine.'

'Sam, Sam damn it look at me.' Dean gripped Sam's shoulders tightly and forced him to look up, 'what … is … wrong? And don't you dare say that you're fine.'

Mickie watched the interaction with her father and uncle and flinched, she could sense the anger emanating from both men; just then Az appeared in the room took one look at the men and then gathered the little girl up, 'human men I dunno.' Az spat and disappeared with Mickie in her arms.

'What was all that about?' Dean asked in shock.

'Whatcha two eedjits think it was about? Mickie and you two both so angry you're scaring her.' Bobby told the brothers off before he turned to leave, 'Az was doing what she was supposed to do, look after the baby now what are you two gonna do?' He finished as he left to find the others.

Sam and Dean stared at each other in shock, and then both visibly relaxed and laughed, 'well guess we just got told.' Dean grinned,

'yeah guess we did,' Sam answered, 'ah Dean look I'm sorry man.'

'Yeah I know but I need you to talk to me, about anything you want just talk to me.'

'Is this usually my line to you?' Sam tried to deflect some of Dean's concern but saw that it wasn't working. 'I dunno I just feel weird.'

'Weird? How weird?'

'Weird, dunno empty, alone, frustrated, deaf, hearing voice in my head, oh and did I mention deaf?'

'Sam.'

'No look Dean I'm … I'm dealing okay I just need more time.'

A child's scream rang through the clinic effectively ending the conversation between the brothers, 'even I heard that.' Sam quipped earning a glare from Dean as they moved towards the door.

'You stay here Sam.' Dean ground out as he put a hand on Sam's chest.

'Yeah right Dean, as if I'm gonna sit back and let something happen to you or Mickie or the others.'

'Sam.'

'Don't, don't Sam me Dean please.' Sam said as he slowly but surely got out of bed and made his way out of the room.

Dean shook his head and mumbled something rather nasty under his breath as he caught up with his brother and then passed him. 'I'll see ya there Sam.'

'Oh nice one Dean … yeah pick on the cripple why don't ya.' Sam seethed his frustration and anger started to take over his thoughts and cloud them. 'Never ever step aside for anyone do ya Dean.'

'Sam?' Bobby touched the younger Winchester's arm to let him know he was by his side, he involuntarily flinched when he saw the thunderous look on Sam's face, 'what is it boy?'

'Don't you start to Bobby,' Sam snarled and pulled his arm free from Bobby's grip.

'And don't you sass me boy, now what is wrong?' Bobby said as he positioned himself in front of Sam, 'not goin' anywhere till ya start talking.'

'We … me and Dean were arguing and then we heard Mickie's scream, Dean ran off half-cocked and wouldn't wait for me.' Sam felt his anger start to dissipate as he spoke, 'sorry Bobby.'

'Sam …son yer got me spinning like a top here whatcha sorry bout?'

'Snapping at ya … the fight's between me and Dean I shouldn't take it out on you.' Sam said as he made out as though he was stepping up next to Bobby when he suddenly felled the older man with a vicious punch to the side of his head. With a look of mixed regret and determination Sam helped the older man slump to the floor and that he was breathing alright before he forced himself to hurry down the corridor, this was going to end once and for all.

S—D

'My God Merci just how many lives do you have?' Dean asked incredulously, his stare fixed on the demon holding his daughter, 'how many times do I have to kill ya before ya stay dead?'

'Now, now is that anyway to talk in front of our daughter?'

'Mickie's my daughter, never was yours.' Dean snapped, he could feel the vein throbbing in his forehead, 'just put her down and let's finish this, you and me finish it here and now.'

'I wish I could but this little darling has a date with her destiny and as her mother I am bound to make sure that she meets it.'

'I swear Merci if you harm her in anyway I will rip you to pieces.'

'Daddee.' Mickie wailed unsure of what was going on but she knew that she didn't want to go with the lady calling herself her mommy. 'Want daddee!'

'Shut up the wailing.' Merci yelled giving Mickie a hard shake, 'shut up now.'

'You are dead you bitch.' Dean watched horrified as Merci shook his daughter before he snapped out of his reverie and launched himself at the demon. 'Az get your ass in here.' He yelled as he tackled Merci and grabbed his precious daughter.

The animal spirit appeared and then squealed in fright at the sight of Merci and started to disappear, 'no time for that Az you appear now.' Dean yelled and then passed Mickie to the spirit, 'take her to safety Az, to Sam's room.'

'Kay.' Az nodded and vanished with the toddler who sobbed uncontrollably, large tears fell down her reddened cheeks as she stared at her father until she was gone.

'Now we finish this bitch.' Dean rolled his shoulders and readied himself, 'we got some couple's therapy to work out.'

'I love it when you want to play rough.' Merci countered with a laugh, 'come on lover show me what you got.' She added as she attacked, her movements inhumanely fast, as her fist connected with Dean's chin in a blur of motion. However, Dean didn't fall instead he planted himself and countered with a blinding punch of his own to her stomach.

'Oh baby you remember just how rough I like it.' Merci grinned as she jumped to her feet and prepared to attack again, this time she flicked a wicked looking blade out from a wrist holster. 'Remember this little beauty?'

Dean blinked and stared in horror at the blade she had used to slice through his hands, his anger piqued again and he rushed her barely feeling the pain as the sharp blade sliced through his left bicep. He stumbled slightly and quickly righted himself just as she dove at him again wielding her blade viciously.

'Dean!' Sam shouted as he watched the blade slide into his brother's side, his fury now unabated as he turned his attention to the demon, 'hey bitch why don't ya take me on?'

'Sammy, oh long time no see and how's the hearing?' Merci gloated, 'should I be signing?'

'Sign this bitch.' Sam said as he closed his eyes and concentrated on the demon a cold smile fixed on his face.

Merci screamed as she felt her body pulled in all directions, her tendons started to snap and joints dislocate, 'this is not over.' She screeched as she disappeared.

The connection broken Sam's eyes snapped open and he paled as everything started to spin around him, his head pounded and he felt a warm fluid dripping onto his upper lip. 'Dean?' He whispered as his knees started to buckle and he dropped to the floor, he pushed himself back against the wall and held his head in his hands as it felt like it was ready to explode. 'No, no!'

'Sammy?' Dean staggered over to his brother ignoring his own pain to check on his brother, 'Sammy talk to me dude.'

Sam stared dazedly at his brother, he could see his lips moving but he heard no sound at all, slowly he shook his head and tried to reconnect with his own reality when a laugh burst through his mind, slicing through his brain like a hot knife. He didn't even realise that he was screaming as he curled into himself and started to rock.

Panicked Dean reached out to grip Sam's shoulders and try to get him to look up but stopped when he heard the pitiful mewls coming from his brother and then the silence as Sam slumped forward mercifully unconscious.

'Dean what's going on?' Bobby ground out as he staggered into the room nursing his jaw, 'what did I miss?'

S—D

Lewis finished examining Sam and then sat down to talk to his patient, his heart heavy with the news he did not want to share, 'Sam you feeling better?'

'Yeah I guess,' Sam watched Lewis' lips closely, 'my hearing is gone for good isn't it.'

'I – I can't tell you for sure Sam, you really need to be seen by a specialist…'

'Lewis please just tell me.'

'The pressure caused bleeding in both ears again, I – I really can't say what damage …'

'Lewis I can barely hear you at all,' Sam spoke quietly but didn't drop his stare from Lewis' face and lips, 'it's different this time, it feels different there's no noise at all. No white noise or buzzing whatever there's nothing, just emptiness.'

'On a scale of one to ten, ten being the loudest yell and one being the softest whisper how loud can you hear me?'

'One.' Sam replied succinctly.

'I am sorry Sam, I would really love to take you for an MRI and CT but with what happened … what did happen here?'

'Merci somehow got in and nearly took Mickie, she tried to kill … Dean where is he? Is he alright?'

'He's fine Sam I promise he's with Mickie at the moment, the cuts were only superficial.'

'Thanks Doc I thought…'

'Sam … Dean told me about the collapse and the fact that you appeared to have another seizure.'

'That what caused my hearing to go again?'

'Yeah I think so.'

'I'm tired, mind if I have a sleep?' Sam yawned and tried to get comfortable in the narrow bed.

'Sleep well Sam, I'll send Dean in, in a little while.'

'Thanks again Doc.' Sam closed his eyes and slowed his breathing down just enough to feign sleep in the hope that Lewis will leave. Minutes later he was alone in the room, sitting up he waited until the dizziness subsided and then he shoved the sheets off his legs and stared at his deformed looking knee, no longer encased in the brace but it still looked swollen and angry with red puckered marks and faded bruises. He took a deep breath and lowered his injured limb over the edge of the bed and then his good leg. He stood for a minute and steadied himself, he refused to think of using his wheelchair, canes or crutches he was determined to do this on his own volition.

Lewis' news about his hearing and seizures sealed his decision; he was going to end this once and for all. He was intent on giving Dean and Mickie the freedom to have a life without demonic intervention. Even if it costed him his life.

He knew how angry Dean was last time he decided to take off but this time was different, this time he truly had nothing to lose.

S—D

Dean stared at Lewis with a look of shock on his face that quickly morphed into disbelief and then anger, 'so you're telling me that Sam's deaf again?'

'His hearing has been affected by this latest episode Dean I won't lie to you.' Lewis said as he glanced at Bobby for help, 'it may only be temporary and will return when everything settles down.'

'But?'

'I'm not a specialist I can't give you a definitive prognosis Dean, Sam really needs to have an MRI and a CT scan to assess the damage and possibly another surgery.'

'And we can't do that while we're stuck here.'

'Exactly.' Lewis said and nodded his head but when he was about to continue speaking he was interrupted by a little girl not even two years old.

'Uncee Sammee!' Mickie screamed and started to sob uncontrollably.

Azuraus and Maggie looked at each other in shock as Mickie pulled away from them and made her way to her daddy, 'Uncee Sammee gone bye bye.'

'Sam?' Dean managed to lift Mickie up and nestled her on his hip before hurrying to his brother's room, 'Sam? Dammit Sammy not again.' Dean turned around and stared at the now empty room.

'Dean he's outside.' Caleb yelled out, making Dean hurry to the rear of the clinic. There he joined Caleb and stared out the window in shock, 'what the fuck?'

'Daddee?' Mickie tugged at his t-shirt, 'Uncee Sammee?'

'Sam?' Dean passed his daughter to Caleb and went to go outside when he found that the doors were locked, 'Sam?' He ran around to the side door but it was locked as well, slowly the news came back to him all of the windows and doors were locked effectively trapping all of them in the clinic. Dean ran back to where Caleb stood with Mickie and thumped his fists on the window. 'Sam!'

'Sorry Dean.' Sam mouthed at his brother before he closed his eyes and concentrated thankful for once for his inability to hear. Unable to hear his brother's screams and the others their voices all silent to him, he turned in himself and called for Cornase to appear.

The wind whipped around his frail body but Sam seemed unaffected by it as he waited patiently for his nemesis to appear.

_'Now, now Sammy have you finally accepted your fate?'_

_'I want to make a deal with you Cornase.'_

_'A deal? How quaint, and exactly what do you have that I could possibly want to make a deal for?'_

_'Me, you keep saying that you want me, so here I am … I'm yours just call off your demon bitch and leave Dean, Mickie and the others alone.'_

_'Hmm interesting thought, you would just do that? Give yourself over to me?'_

_'I'm here aren't I?'_

_'Ah but is this just a trap?'_

_'You tell me Cornase.'_

_'My, my the little pup is learning to bark.'_

_'This is getting boring Cornase do you want to deal or not?'_

_'Sam, Sam oh I can taste this new power in you, and I am sorry but I will have to decline.'_

_'Why? You wanted me so here I am.'_

_'No, you are damaged goods Sam and have awoken a power in you that I have no desire in testing.'_

_Fuck you Cornase I am not playing.'_

_'Neither am I darling boy and it grieves me completely in saying no to such a delicious offer but for now I must decline. However, I will give you a gift to remember me by and when the time is right then I will come back and you will come to me willingly and with no deals.'_

_'What are you talking about?'_

_'Farewell for now my beautiful boy.'_

Sam staggered and dropped to the ground, crashing on his already damaged knee, stunned he tried to work out what had just happened when he felt something sharp pricking his arm. He looked down and stared in horror at the needle protruding from his limb, 'No not again.' He cried out as the insipid drug made its way through his body, he lifted his stricken face to look at his brother and released the hold he had on the clinic, suddenly the doors flew open and released the occupants of the building.

Dean ran to his brother's side just as Sam listed to his side, 'Sam? Damn it Sammy what did you do?'

'He wouldn't deal Dean.' Sam whispered, 'says that I'm …' a sharp cough stopped Sam for a few moments as he struggled to breath, 'I'm damaged goods … he – he left me a gift.' Sam lifted his arm up slightly to show Dean the needle still in it, 'says he'll come back when … when it's time.'

'Damn it Sammy.' Dean ran his hands over Sam checking him for any other injuries, 'when you get better I'm so kicking your ass.'

Sam smiled slightly and stared up at his brother's face, he could barely hear Dean's voice and couldn't make out any words but he felt warmer and safer in his brother's arm. His eyes slowly slid shut as the darkness claimed him along with the silence and effectively cut Sam off from everyone except Dean, Dean's touch anchored him.

'Doc, help him.' Dean looked up at the young doctor, 'Cornase gave him that drug again.'

'Dean I – I haven't got the equipment here to help Sam, he needs the hospital.'

'Damn, okay Bobby you and Caleb take Az, Mickie and Maggie and go, don't let us know where just send a message when you stop. Doc me and Sam are going to the hospital and then …'

'Dean.'

'No, this ends, and this ends now.' Dean said unconsciously channelling his father so well that Bobby took a step back and stared down at the younger man.

'No problems at all Dean I'll send a message with Az they can't track her.'

'Thanks Bobby, now go before I change my mind.' Dean said as he saw his little girl in Maggie's arms, 'tell … tell her that her daddy and uncle love her Bobby.'

'Dean…'

'Please just look after her.'

'Like she's my own flesh and blood.' Bobby promised, 'but we'll see ya soon, both of ya.'

'For sure Bobby, okay Doc we have to get Sam to the hospital and they'll be looking for an ambulance.'

'So?'

'We give em one with … '

'Don't worry I can work it out.' Lewis said with a knowing nod, 'you get Sam to the impala.'

'Thanks doc.'

'De?' Sam's eyes flickered open and he stared at Dean with slightly unfocused eyes, 'De?'

'I'm here Sammy.'

'Bastard drugged me.' Sam slurred and blinked hard, 'I have … it Dean.'

'What Sammy?'

'It, the Darkside, it's in me.' Sam giggled slightly and clutched at his brother's hand, no longer able to focus on anything, 'don' wanna die De please … don' let me go.'

'Gotta get you up Sasquatch.' Dean said though it was more for his own benefit than for Sam's, he needed to hear something other than his brother's ramblings. 'Come on up and at 'em.'

'Cornase didn't wan' me De, said, said, he said I was damaged goods.' Sam pouted as he leaned heavily on his brother, 'not dam-damaged goods.'

'Nope you're not Sammy.' Dean guided his unsteady brother to the impala parked in a garage at the back of the property.

'I – I member … I member lots Dean.' Sam started to sob as the drug finished invading his body, 'don' feel so good.'

'Hang in there Sammy.' Dean propped him up against the car while he unlocked the door, 'gonna get ya some help.'

'Let ya down De.' Sam whimpered as he settled in the car, he looked up at Dean with wet eyes shining in the waning light, 'I – I let ya down, so-sorry De, love ya man.'

'Yeah, yeah get your foot in the car Sammy.' Dean sighed he almost wanted Sam's hearing loss so he wouldn't have to hear Sam's ramblings anymore.

'Okay Dean we're good to go.' Lewis said as he ran into the garage, 'how's he doing?'

'Not so good, he's completely … under the influence.'

'Are you alright to drive?'

'Hell yeah, sorry doc and no offence but no one drives mah baby 'ceptin' me and on the very, very odd occasion Sammy.'

'Damaged goods De, don' like me no more.' Sam cried out as his eyes rolled back until only the whites showed and he started to slide sideways.

'I've got him Dean,' Lewis said as he slid in next to Sam and propped him up and made sure that he had clear airways, 'let's go.'

Dean glanced at his brother, then turned the key, and waited for his baby to roar into life, 'hang on for me Sammy, just hang on.'

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

**Road Less Travelled**

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do??? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

**Author's Note: **Okay I'm back on track, I have just completed my 3rd year double major in Bachelor of Arts, phew honours next year but for now I have a 4 months break, and can get back to something close to my heart, or should I say some-ones close to my heart. The boys!! Updating like mad. Please forgive me for taking so long and hope that this makes up for the wait.

**Medical Disclaimer: **I am not a medical professional by any stretch of the imagination, most of my research is from the Internet and basic knowledge. The drug is totally my creation as is the procedure spoken about in later in the chapter.

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

'Sam what did you do?' Dean asked again knowing that his unconscious brother couldn't answer, perhaps that was for the best because Dean didn't know what he was going to say or do with his errant younger brother. 'What am I gonna do Sammy?'

'Daddad.' A little girl's voice sounded a second before she appeared along with her spirit guide Azuraus, 'Daddy.'

'Hey baby.' Dean whispered, 'you shouldn't be here Az.'

'I know you sent us away but … Mickie wouldn't settle without her daddy or uncle Sammy, she cried that much she made herself sick.'

'And where is Bobby?' Dean tried not to smile as his daughter promptly pulled his fingers into her mouth and started to chew on them, 'oww baby daddy is not a teething ring.'

'I am sorry Dean.' Az murmured as she started to fade away again, 'I – I'll…'

'Back here now Az.' Dean ordered sounding more tired than anything else, 'honey daddy needs you to stay with Az and Uncle Bobby for me.'

'No!' Mickie screwed her little face up and started to build her tantrum, 'no daddy.'

'Yes Michaela now settle down and listen to daddy.' Dean spoke firmly but kept his tone soft without any anger, 'daddy and uncle Sammy are gonna be here while uncle Sammy gets better and then we're gonna come and get you.'

'Wan' daddy, wan' uncee Sammee.' Mickie wailed refusing to listen to her daddy.

'Nope you don't little missy daddy means this you have to stay with Az so daddy can look after uncle Sammy.'

'Uncee Sammy sickies?' Mickie sniffed and squirmed in her father's arms until she could see her beloved uncle, 'uncee Sammee?'

'He's sick sweety so daddy needs to look after him.' Dean whispered against his daughter's downy soft hair, 'please let Az look after you.'

'Daddee sads.' Mickie turned and put a tiny hand on Dean's cheek, 'kisses.'

'Thanks baby makes daddy feel lots better.' Dean laughed gently as his toddler smothered his face with drool-filled kisses. 'Lots better and wet.'

'Dean?' Sam moaned and screwed his face up as pain shot through his already frail body, 'no Dean!'

'Hey Sammy, I'm right here.' Dean laid his free hand on Sam's shoulder, 'damn I wish he could hear me.'

'Uncee Sammee got big owies.' Mickie cried with big hiccupping sobs, 'hurts.'

'Mickie?' Dean stared at his daughter and then down at his brother before returning his gaze back to Mickie, 'honey what's wrong?'

'Uncee Sammee hurts.' Mickie's face lost all colour as she tried to grasp and understand what was happening to both her and her uncle. 'Daddy?' She cried out.

'Az get her out of here now.' Dean thrust his daughter at the terrified looking spirit, 'she's picking up on Sam's pain.'

'Do you think?'

'Yeah I do, sorry sweety but you have to do as daddy says now and go with Az okay? She'll make ya feel better.' He brushed a kiss on his daughter's forehead and nodded at Az, 'I'll be in touch.'

Az cradled the little girl to her chest tightly and blinked out of sight just as Sam's eyes flickered open and he stared around the room dazedly. 'Dean?'

'Hey Sammy.' Dean squeezed Sam's arm to let him know he was there.

'Dean? Feel strange De.'

'What's wrong Sammy?'

'Head … loud buzzing … can't … argh make it stop.'

'Hang on Sammy, I'll get the doc.' Dean placed his fingers under Sam's chin and made him look up, his worry meter spiked even higher when he saw the glazed, unfocused look in Sam's eyes. 'Sammy?' He yelled his brother's name as Sam's eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness once again.

'Dean I've got Sam's test results … Dean?' Lewis came to a stop just before he reached Sam's bedside when he saw the look of despair on Dean's face.

'Doc? Sam he ah woke up, said that he felt strange and he could hear loud buzzing … then he just … passed out again.'

Lewis gripped Dean's arms and led him to the chair, 'take a load off Dean while I check your brother out.' He said soothingly worried for the older brother's own health and state of mind and then once Dean was settled more or less he turned to his patient, quickly he checked Sam's heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and breathing. A small frown appeared on his face as he listened to the congestion building in Sam's lungs, worried about the unknown ingredients in the drug Cornase forced into the younger Winchester he was concerned about every little thing. 'Sam?' he tried to rouse the younger man by pressing his knuckle into Sam's sternum, 'damn.'

'Lewis?'

'He's not reacting to painful stimuli.' Lewis muttered in response, as he carefully lifted one eyelid and then the other, flashing a tiny penlight into the pupils, 'pupils sluggish and dilated,' he continued his monologue cataloguing each of the new or old symptoms. 'skin clammy, temperature is elevated as is his blood pressure, damn it all Sam what's going on with you?'

'What is it Lewis?' Dean's gaze flickered impatiently between doctor and patient, 'what's wrong with my brother?'

'Honestly, I'm guessing here Dean,' Lewis sighed and looked over at the over-anxious brother, 'from what I can tell, the drug Cornase hit Sam with, has been modified since the last time.'

'How?' Dean's voice was barely audible he could feel the nerve twitch near his eye, 'what is it Lew?'

'Okay, from what I can ascertain instead of the drug … normally any kind of drug has a typical life span once it hits the blood stream, this one seems to do this exact opposite, the longer it is in the blood the stronger it becomes. It seems to … grow, like he is being given repeated dosages instead of just one.'

'So what does that mean exactly?'

'I'm not sure in the long run, unless we can find something to nullify the effects, the drug itself will not diminish, it will become stronger. Dean if this stuff hit the streets…'

'Junkies would only need one hit and they will hooked for life or what's left of their life.' Lewis visibly shuddered, 'mix that with Sam's already compromised health, and mental status … Cornase virtually signed Sam's death warrant.'

'Fuck … so what do we do?' Dean ran his hand over his face, he felt so tired he was numb. 'Is there any good news?'

'A small thing,' Lewis finally broke a small grin. 'Sam's hearing, I spoke to Stewart Peterson, he is the Otologist who tested Sam and went through all of his records, there is an operation … he can implant these little devices in Sam's ears, it's more technical than this but suffice it to say, what they will do is act similar to normal hearing aides but in a more micro sense. I know that I'm not explaining this very well, but basically these implants will act as internal hearing aides to boost his normal hearing levels.'

'So this means that Sam is deaf and he needs these implants to help him hear again?'

'Yeah basically that is it.'

'How the fuck can we afford this?' Dean spat out as he jumped to his feet and started to pace the small room, 'Sam can't hear again without this operation can he?'

'For all intents and purposes he is legally deaf.' Lewis sighed.

'How can I? Damn it all Lewis where am I supposed to get the money for this?'

'Dean calm down and listen to me for a moment.' Lewis held his hands up, palms outward to appear as non-threatening as possible; he has learnt just how volatile Dean's temper could be, the hard way. 'Stewart told me, that because the procedure is still in the testing stages, and Stew will use it as a test case for his studies and his students all of Sam's expenses will be covered.'

'What about side-effects?'

'As far as we know there are minimal effects, the worst being rejection by Sam's body but that is the worst case scenario.'

'And Sam would hear again?'

'That's the plan.'

'When can it be done?'

'This is the problem Dean, we can't operate on Sam while he is addicted to the drug, we need to find the antidote or someway to nullify the effects.'

'What about a blood transfusion?'

'We have no idea … we would have to virtually drain all of his blood from his body and then replace it with clean blood, no it wouldn't work, too dangerous for all involved and there is still no guarantee that the drug won't attach itself to his major organs.'

'Hang on Lewis did you say the drug attaches itself?'

'Yeah I did … why?'

Dean strode over to the other side of Sam's bed and absently ran his fingertips over his brother's forehead, a gesture left over from their secluded childhood, 'could it be like a parasite? That grows when it hits the bloodstream?'

'I – I suppose, I'm not sure we'll have to do some more tests.'

'If it is some sort of demonic parasite…' Dean thought out loud as he continued his soothing ministrations, 'can you look after Sam?'

'Yeah sure why?' Lewis stared at the older Winchester he could feel the pit growing in his stomach, 'what are you going to do?'

'No one, and I mean no one can know who he is Lewis, use the name Samuel Scott, only me and you know anything different. Sam Winchester is no longer a patient here, I know you'll have to fill in the surgeon but just say that Sam is a federal witness and he needs to be kept hidden.'

'Dean…'

'The only one you or any of the staff talks to about Sam is me, not Bobby or anyone. I can't afford for someone getting possessed and near him while he's so vulnerable.'

'Dean…'

'I'm going on an old-fashioned demon hunt.' Dean smiled but there was no warmth in it, his eyes held a cold, malicious tint to them, 'I'll bring ya back what ya need.'

'Dean…'

'Just keep him alive Lewis, that's all I ask.'

'Can I speak now?' Lewis asked loudly taking small delight in startling his friend, 'okay I'll do what you ask, I'll fill out Sam's discharge papers and as far as anyone is concerned he left with you. Samuel Scott will be admitted to another ward. The private wing, with a room specially protected.'

'Thanks man.'

'Dean one thing, until you find Cornase, I think it will be prudent to place Sam in a drug induced coma.'

'Lewis…'

'No listen to me Dean, we need to slow down the progress of the parasitic drug and keep him alive long enough to do the surgery.'

'Dean?' Sam whispered his brother's name, 'Dean?'

Dean took Sam's hand in his and squeezed, 'hey dude was wondering when you were gonna grace us with your presence.' He quipped making sure that he spoke clearly and Sam could see his lips. 'How you doing?'

'What's wrong?' Sam looked from his brother to his doctor and then back again, 'what?'

Lewis sat down, quickly wrote out their plan in short dot points, and then passed it over to his patient to read, he glanced at Dean and the two men both waited while Sam read and digested the information.

'So this doctor thinks he can fix my hearing?' Sam stared up at the doctor and tried to focus on his face, so far he could see two doctors and two Deans. 'And this drug?'

'Something Cornase cooked up, it's more like a parasite than a drug.' Lewis wrote down making it easier for Sam to follow the conversation.

'How?' Sam looked at Lewis, he couldn't look at his brother, his own guilt and self-recriminations bubbled too close to the surface for him to face the look that he knew would be on Dean's face.

'Sam … instead of … the drug intensifies itself instead of wearing off.' Lewis started to explain when Sam's back arched and he screamed, as the pain thundered through his system. 'Sam?' Lewis tried to hold his patient down.

'Dean!' Sam screamed as he dropped down onto the bed and then he went rigid, his eyes fixed seemingly on a point on the ceiling.

'Sam?' Dean gasped breaking out of his shocked stupor he looked over at Lewis, 'what's going on?'

'He's seizing, Dean I think we need to …'

'Do it.' Dean said hoarsely. 'Sorry Sammy.' He whispered as he brushed Sam's hair out of his eyes and held his shoulder while he lay in the recovery position.

'I'll be right back.' Lewis said as he hurried from the room.

'Damn it Sammy I am so sorry.' Dean kept repeating as he watched his brother slowly come back from the seizure, 'I am so sorry.'

'De?' Sam panted as he tried to focus on his brother, 'De?'

'Right here Sammy, I'm right here.'

'Doc … he … coma?' Sam tried and failed to get the words out, he felt like his body was no longer under his control and in the back of his mind he heard the insipid laughter of Cornase. 'K-Kill … me … please…De.' He breathed no longer wanting to hear the mocking laugh, 'I … hear … him … can't … hear …you.'

'Ah Sammy.'

'Hurts me.'

'I know buddy, but it won't be much longer.' Dean kept hold of Sam's hand as he tried to sooth his brother.

Lewis came back in followed by a nurse dragging a small trolley with her, a sterile cloth draped over the contents. 'Dean?'

'He's … ready.'

'Okay, Amanda this is Dean Scott and over in the bed is his brother Samuel, you are the only nurse assigned to this patient. If anyone comes in who is not myself, Dean or Doctor Peterson then you are to get me straight away is that understood?' Lewis spoke to the efficient looking thirty-something nurse.

'Yes doctor.' She said softly but with a confident air about her.

'Nice to meet you Amanda.' Dean nodded at her but then gave Sam his full attention again leaving Lewis to explain what was happening to the nurse.

'Samuel is a Federal witness, no one and I repeat no one is allowed in here or near him without express authorisation, I chose you Amanda because I know that you can be trusted to be discreet and keep the confidentiality of the patient. You and Maggie are the only two nurses I do trust here. Please don't let me down.'

'You've got my word Doctor,' Amanda smiled softly, 'I'll look after Samuel for you.'

'Fine, it is going to be a long haul, we're going to place him in an induced coma, I will let you read over his records on your own time, your job will be to watch over him, when you're not on duty then I will look after him.'

'Yes doctor.'

'Doc he's seizing again.' Dean interrupted as Sam started to go rigid and tiny tremors ran through him.

'Okay Dean there's no more time we have to do this.'

'Do it doc.' Dean said as he nodded encouragingly to Sam, who had tears running down his face. 'Do it now.'

Sam flinched as the new drugs hit his system, he kept gazes locked with Dean, as he felt the pull into the blackness. He wanted to fight the heaviness, the black void but he couldn't move, couldn't call out nothing except watch his brother's face as it started to fade into nothingness.

He fought to keep his eyes open but the drugs were powerful and he felt his senses, his thoughts, his mind start to close down. As Dean's face blurred into non-existence he saw another replace it.

'Now you are mine.' A more than familiar voice echoed in Sam's mind as the drugs did their job and he slid into a medically induced comatose state.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Road Less Travelled

Follow up to my story Two Hunters and a Baby, so if you haven't read that one it might pay to and then come back and revisit this one, coz it might get a little confusing.

**Disclaimer:** Sigh nope still nothing ... hmm what to do??? Okkies I promise I will send em home after I finish playing with my boys!!

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

A faint silver light grew brighter in slow increments in Sam's hospital room. It appeared first as a tiny dot no bigger than a pin head floating haphazardly in the air, then gradually it grew bigger and glowed warmly filling the atmosphere with a healing energy.

A young woman stepped out of the light and stood for a moment to get her bearings. She stepped over to the bed, her feet moving silently on the floor as she reached over and moved her hand over the length of the body in the bed. A small gasp escaped from her lips and a tiny diamond shaped tear fell from her almond shaped green eyes it splashed on Sam's hand, 'so much pain.' She whispered aloud her lyrical voice filling the silence as she moved her hand along his torso and up to his face. 'so much pain.'

'What are you doing here?' A woman's voice came from behind the new arrival; she turned and gave the nurse a beatific smile.

'I am here to help.' She replied touching the woman's arm.

Amanda felt the warmth and calmness flood through her from the touch and smiled at the young woman, 'you look so familiar to me have we met before?' She asked as she gazed at the bright green eyes, the pale skin with masses of freckles sprinkled around her nose, the sandy-brown hair long with just a wave to kink it. Tall and lithe with a smile that had the deepest of dimples.

'No not really, Amanda if I may call you that no one, and I mean no one must know I have come do you understand that?'

'Yes, yes of course but I – I don't understand, could you at least tell me your name?'

'Michaela.' The young woman said as she turned back to the man lying so still in the bed. 'He is in so much pain.'

'The doctor put Sam in a coma until they could operate on his ears, he was given some sort of parasitic drug that is ravaging his system.' Amanda explained though inwardly she screamed at herself, she was not supposed to discuss Sam's condition with anyone or let anyone in his room and yet here she is talking to the intruder.

'Amanda can you do something for me?' Michaela asked as she touched the nurse's arm again.

'Yes dear of course.'

'Please take a seat over by the window, you look so tired I think that you need a nap, I'll look after Sam for you.'

Amanda stared at Michaela for a moment and then yawned and did as she was asked, suddenly feeling worn out, a few seconds later she was sound asleep.

'That's better,' Michaela smiled and turned her focus back on Sam, 'now where do I start?'

S—D

Dean tossed restlessly in his sleep, his dreams filled with Cornase torturing Sam while he himself was held back by unseen forces unable to do anything to save his brother and unable to call to him, his voice silenced.

It had been two days since leaving Sam in the care of Amanda and Lewis, it broke his heart to walk out on Sam but in order to help his brother he had to, he find and destroy Cornase.

Az materialised in the motel room and took in the two hunters sleeping, both in the throws of nightmares. She crept over to the bed furthermost from the door, 'Dean, Dean you have to wake up.' She whispered patting his face, 'please Dean wake up.'

'Mmm no, no go away Sam, Sam, Sam!' Dean yelled and sat up staring wild-eyed around the room, his breath coming in short sharp gasps as he fought to come to complete wakefulness. 'Az? What the freaking hell are you doing here? Where's Mickie?'

'That's why I'm here Dean.' Az cried as she started to fade from his view.

'Ah no you don't come back and tell me what's going on.' Dean ordered the spirit, 'where's my daughter?'

'I-I don't know, I had just fed and bathed her, and put her down for a nap, she just glittered and turned into a tiny silver light and vanished.'

'What!' Dean thundered and then took a deep breath, 'what do you mean vanished?' he asked in a slightly lower restrained tone of voice.

'Don't yell Dean,' Az pouted and started to fade away again.

'Sor-sorry Az please come back and talk to me.' Dean tried his damnedest to stay calm with the frustrating sprite.

'There is a weird thing though Dean, I didn't have any sense of anything bad and the wards and protections were all intact.'

'So what Az? Mickie did it herself?'

'Well it could … Would she go back to Sam?' Az blinked and materialised into her solid form just as Bobby stirred and started to wake after finally realising that the yelling was not part of his nightmare.

'What the f-hell is going on here Dean? Az?' Bobby demanded as he shook off his sleep and glared angrily at them, 'and this had better be good.'

'Mickie decided to disappear on Az now we're only guessing but…'

'You think that she went to Sam?' Bobby shook his head in disbelief, 'Dean she's only a baby.'

'What else is there? Remember what her mother was.'

'Or is.' Az added under her breath. 'I can take you back to the hospital.' She saw the look on both of the human faces and frowned, 'what?'

'Ah yeah about that, it's too weird.' Bobby said, 'I mean it's hard enough seeing ya pop in and out but when ya wanna do it with us too…'

'Yeah what Bobby said,' Dean nodded, 'can't we just drive there?'

'Hmm well I can pop as Bobby put it and the two of you can take the time to drive there, I guess, just how long is it gonna take for you to you know drive there?'

'Alright Az you made your point,' Dean pulled himself out of bed and headed to the bathroom, 'but it had better be … ah no we don't have to ya know go up there do we?' Dean paled and pointed skyward.

'No silly, you don't even feel it,' Az giggled, 'much.' She added under her breath.

'Well I don't care, it aint natural, I'll pack up here and drive the impala and meet yer there.' Bobby stated firmly as he straightened his ever-present baseball cap and sat back down on his bed.

'Ya sure Bobby?' Dean said as he fingered the keys to the impala.

'Dean Winchester who else can drive the impala?'

'Yeah ya got a point, so no speeding, no sharp turns, no fast braking, fill up when she hits half tank, no rubbish on the floor, no food or drink on the seats…' Dean ticked off his list of dos and don'ts for Bobby when Az grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

'Dean the car will be fine.' Bobby coughed slightly trying to hide his amusement.

Before Dean could retaliate, he felt a warm sensation and squeezed his eyes shut when he opened them they were standing in Sam's room. Nurse Amanda asleep on the chair by the window and a vaguely familiar looking young woman standing over Sam's inert form.

'Who the hell are you and step away from my brother?' Dean snarled grabbing the young woman's arm, he felt the surge immediately and loosened his grip enough for her to turn around and face him. 'M-Mickie?'

'Hey Daddy.' Michaela squealed happily and wrapped her arms around his neck hugging him tightly.

'I-I don't understand.' Dean stammered as he stepped back and tried to make sense of it all, one minute his daughter is a toddler the next minute she's a stunningly beautiful young woman who looks like both him and Sam.

'Ah it's kind of hard to explain, but I can help Uncle Sam.' She turned to look at her uncle's face and noticed the fine pain lines around his eyes, 'he's getting worse.'

'Mickie what's … how?' Dean stared at his now adult daughter and suddenly felt very old even though he was only twenty-eight. 'This is so not right.'

'I can't stay long Daddy,' Michaela smiled sadly, 'but I came back to help with Uncle Sammy.'

'Why? What happens?' Dean asked unable to help himself.

'I can't tell you everything just that – the drug that Cornase gave Uncle Sam and his intrusions … he drives Uncle Sammy mad Daddy, he's living in a home in the time I'm from. He still can't hear and all he does is sit and stare out the window mumbling about Cornase. He doesn't know you or anyone else he just retreats into his mind.'

'Oh my God…'

'And Cornase?'

'He is still hunting you, you and Uncle Bobby have to go into hiding there's nothing but violence I know that you already lead fairly violent lives but nothing here compares to what is ahead Dad.' Michaela ran her fingers through Sam's hair as she spoke. 'Cornase's drug keeps him in pain, somehow the demon stops it from killing him but injuries keep appearing on his body, the doctors don't know what to do for him.'

'What about? What about your mother?' Dean asked with a sick taste in his mouth.

'She's back and wearing a new meat-suit.' Michaela wrinkled her nose prettily, 'she's so freaking weird Dad.'

'What about you Mickie? By the way I love the look jeans and T-shirt very nice,' Dean looked at his daughter appreciatively, 'must say though you got a lot of your Uncle, you're pure Winchester. At least I managed to do something right.'

'Thanks Dad, I ah have to keep moving around we don't get to see each other much. The last attack on Uncle Sammy was to try and lure everyone back, he's on life-support in my time, Cornase is did it all.' Mickie's voice faltered as she turned to look down at her uncle, 'I did some research and back-tracked it all to here and now.'

'So what you swapped places with your baby self?' Dean blinked and tried to comprehend everything.

'Something like that, She just grew up very quickly, when this is over I'll go back to my time and the younger me will be back, by the way Dad burn that pink dress please.'

'Didn't realise that we still had it,' Dean turned to glare at Az who stood by the door very quietly. 'You're very quiet Az.'

'I'm just so proud of Michaela she's just sooo…' Az blinked and disappeared.

'Great timing Az.' Dean called out, 'so Mickie what can you do for Sam? And what can you tell me about the future more specifically do I get?'

'Ew Daddy!' Michaela giggled, 'sorry can't tell ya anymore than what I have, it could change things drastically.'

'So what about what you're going to do know? I mean won't that change things?'

'A little, Uncle Sam won't be in a catatonic state with mysterious injuries and as mad as a hatter, though the three of you might have to be on the run if you don't get Cornase now. Mind you Daddy everything can change if you manage to get rid of Cornase now. It will all be put back the way it was supposed to be.'

'Meaning?'

'Things changed too suddenly for it not to be forced, so theoretically if you save Uncle Sam and send Cornase back to hell then things will be placed back on the right path and a demon won't be virtually running the show.'

'You said that your uncle's still deaf in the future … what about the surgery?'

'What surgery?' Mickie looked curiously up at her father and then back to her uncle, 'was Uncle Sammy going to have surgery?'

'Yeah he was, so that must've been when Cornase made his move against Sammy.'

'What surgery was it going to be?'

'The surgeon's gonna place these micro-implants in his head when activated they will help him hear again.'

'Wow … that never did happen so it just goes to show that Cornase changed time now and not in the future.'

'So we have to make sure that he doesn't get his mitts on Sammy,' Dean mused, 'I have made sure that no one knows who he is, or where he is, this room is protected inside and out and only Lewis, Maggie and Amanda know anything about him.'

'Lewis?'

'Yeah the doc … why what happens to the Doc?'

'I never really knew him he was found dead when I was three no one ever found his murderer but it wasn't … it was definitely something supernatural that killed him.'

'Shit, okay Bobby's on his way.'

'Uncle Bobby? He's coming?' Mickie squealed in delight, 'he's the coolest old dude I have ever known he talked you into letting me get my licence early and to give me my first car.'

'Let me guess he gave you a station wagon he had lying around the yard.'

'Dad please! It's a mint condition 69 SS427 Impala convertible.' Mickie grinned, 'a real guy magnet I can tell you!'

'God kill me now.' Dean groaned and shook his head. 'Just shoot me, coz I don't think I could live through you driving a guy magnet.'

'Hey I'm your daughter!' Mickie laughed enjoying the banter with a younger version of her dad.

'So Mickie…'

'Michaela Dad please.' Michaela corrected her dad as she turned back to Sam, 'I had better get moving I'm running out of time.'

'Run that by me again.' Dean said arching his eyebrow 'is this you know causing problems for you doing … this.'

'No not problems as such it's just the longer I'm here the more things can change back there or something plus there's a bit of a time limit on the spell I used.'

'Damn, well do whatcha gotta do Mickie!' Dean smirked and then went over to the other side of Sam's bed, 'hang in there Sammy.'

S—D

Sam stared around in the darkness trying to make out anything but it all blurred together into shadows, he tried to move but his body refused to obey his simplest of commands. He couldn't hear anything, not even the cruel laughter that had accompanied his thoughts for so long now he'd almost forgotten life before that laugh.

'Where am I?' He shuddered when he couldn't even hear his own voice, the pain started to make itself known, he felt as though he had tiny rats scurrying through his limbs, biting and scratching as they went.

'Uncle Sam?' A soft lyrical voice sounded in his mind startling Sam at first, 'Uncle Sam?'

'Mickie?' Sam called out though he couldn't believe it was Mickie, his tiny little niece calling him.

'Uncle Sam it's okay I'm here to help you.' A young woman came into his sight, with long sandy-brown wavy hair, almond shaped green eyes, freckles and his own dimples.

'Mickie?'

'It's Michaela now, hey Unc Sam.' She smiled and wrapped her arms around his frozen body.

'Mic-Michaela what's going on? Where are we?'

'We're in your mind Uncle Sam I've come to help you to save your life.'

'You can't change the past Mickie.'

'No I can't, but Cornase did, he changed things in this time that is still affecting my time. I have to help fix this and help you.'

'How?'

'I can't fix your hearing problem but I do know that Cornase stopped you from having your operation and that's how he started to change the future.'

'So what can you do Mickie?'

'I can take the parasite from you, I can heal your injuries. I can't heal your soul or your mind Uncle Sam only you can do that.'

'Michaela what is it costing you to do this?'

'Dad asked me the same thing ya know.'

'Your Dad … you've seen him?'

'Yep he's here holding your hand, Uncle Bobby is on his way back too.' Michaela smiled brightly.

'Michaela you said, you said that Cornase stopped me from having the surgery and changed the future outcomes. What … what happened to me?'

'He sent you insane, Dad and Uncle Bobby are on the run, Doctor Lewis is dead nothing is right anymore.'

'I'm insane?'

'In a catatonic state, you just sit and stare out a window in … in an institute, you have mysterious injuries that keep appearing but you can't tell anyone.'

'And I'm still deaf?'

'Sorry.'

'So what do we do now?'

'Now, you just relax and let me work.'

'You, you're a healer?'

'Yeah amongst other things, I kind of got psychic stuff going on too.'

'I'm sorry Michaela.' Sam said in a heartfelt and wrenching tone.

'Ah it's okay, I got demon blood in me too remember.' Michaela winked at him.

Suddenly Sam became rigid, 'get out of here now Michaela.'

'Uncle Sam what's wrong?'

'Cornase.' Sam gasped out as he started to convulse, 'break the connection now!'

S—D

Michaela gasped and sat upright, blood trickled from her nose and her eyes looked cloudy and unfocused. 'Uncle Sam?'

'Mickie what is it?' Dean rushed to his daughter's side just as she listed to her right side.

'Uncle Sam kicked me out … ah my head.'

'Why?'

'Cornase he's realised I'm here.' Michaela whispered, she fisted Dean's T-shirt and rested her aching brow on his shoulder, 'I gotta go and help him.'

'Dean? What's going on? Who is she?' Bobby fired off the questions when he rushed in with Lewis close behind him.

'Hey Bobby, Doc say hello to Michaela my ah daughter.' Dean grinned and pulled away just enough to allow Michaela to make eye contact with the newest arrivals.

'What happened to Amanda?' Lewis gasped when he saw his nurse sleeping soundly on the chair by the window.

'Ah that'd be me, I umm did a sleep spell she's fine and won't remember anything except feeling really refreshed and awake.' Michaela said looking a little sheepish.

'Michaela? Little Mickie?' Bobby mouth dropped open and he stared at the young woman in front of him. 'Damn me, she's the spitting image of both you and Sam.'

'She sure is.' Dean said proudly, 'we can do the catch up later though, Mickie just tried to connect with Sam when Cornase cottoned on to what she was doing.'

'Sam?' Lewis blinked and then visibly pulled himself out of shock and went to check on his patient.

'I managed to talk with Uncle Sam and was about to start the healing process when he started to convulse and pushed me out, he said that Cornase was there.'

'Healing process?' Lewis frowned at the young woman, 'exactly what are you talking about?'

'Ah how clued in is he Dad?' Michaela looked back to her father; she still kept her hands fisted in his T-shirt reminiscent of a little Sam clinging to his older brother.

'He know everything Mickie, he's fine.'

'Okay short story even shorter, I swapped places with my younger self, I have hmm certain gifts you might say. One is healing but I am limited in what I can do, the spell used to send me back has a time limit so if I don't do this soon it'll be too late and Cornase wins.'

'What do you need Mickie?'

'It's Michaela Dad.' She shook her head in mock disbelief, 'okay I need to know if Sam is stable enough for me to try again, this time I won't be contacting him as such I'll just go in and get the parasite.'

'You know where it is?' Lewis frowned still unsure of this young woman.

'Yes, can you tell me if he is stable again? Please?' Michaela took a deep breath, wiped the drying blood from her nose and upper lip with the back of her hand and reluctantly pulled away from her father's comforting embrace.

Lewis nodded and continued to monitor his patient as Michaela once again placed a hand on Sam's cheek and the other at the base of his sternum. Bobby, Dean, Lewis and an invisible Az watched in awe as Michaela let her eyes flutter shut and made the psychic connection. Dean chewed his lower lip and flickered his worried gaze between Sam and Michaela, he felt so useless and yet so proud of his daughter, the young woman his baby was going to grow into.

Michaela cried out and pulled away from Sam severing the connection she held a small wriggling creature in her bloodied right hand. 'Get rid of it.' She hissed dropping it distastefully into a dish Lewis grabbed and held under her hand.

'What is it?'

'Whatever Cornase injected into Sam, that's the living drug.' She shuddered, wiped Sam's blood from her hand and then turned to bury her face against her father's chest. 'He's so scared and so alone, the deafness has made him feel so isolated.'

Lewis placed the creature into a sealed sterile container, marked it toxic, before he cleaned his hands thoroughly, and then gave Sam a thorough check up. 'I don't … I don't believe this whatever you did young lady it's working.' Lewis gasped as he took all of Sam's vital stats. 'His pulse and blood pressure are coming down, he still has a temperature but it is lower than before. His breathing has eased … Dean I think we can bring him out of the coma.'

'You sure Lew?'

'Yes I am, and I believe that we can schedule the surgery.' Lewis smiled for the first time since he came into the room.

'Wait what about Cornase? Didn't you say that he prevents Sam from having the surgery?' Bobby demanded his gaze pinned on Michaela.

'For the moment he has lost his connection to Uncle Sam, that … thing was the way he could invade Uncle Sam and manipulate his thoughts and more or less control him.' Michaela winced and rubbed her forehead, 'the spell … I'm gonna have to go back soon.'

'So we still keep Sam's presence a secret and get that surgery done ASAP.' Dean decided, 'Mickie?' He stared down at his daughter, he could literally feel her body start to dissipate. 'Honey?'

'It's time Daddy, say good bye to Uncle Sam for me, tell him that … that I'll see him very soon.' Mickie hugged her father tightly before she went over to Bobby and hugged him, 'thanks for the car too Uncle Bobby.' She whispered mischievously before kissing his cheek, 'see ya soon Unc.'

'See ya soon Girly.' Bobby's voice sounded rough with emotion and confusion.

'Bye Az for now.' Michaela said without looking directly at the sprite she felt the hug and kiss on her cheek and it made her smile even more.

'Thank you for whatever you did for my patient Michaela.' Lewis said with a nod of his head and a smile for the young woman.

'No probs Doc, I hope that, I hope that I will see you again soon.' Michaela said, 'oh and the nurse will wake up soon.'

'Thanks for that.'

'Bye Daddy.' Michaela hugged her father tightly she could feel her tears threatening to fall, 'I love you and I love Uncle Sammy.'

'Love you too baby girl.' Dean said his voice husky, 'so does Sammy, we'll see ya soon.'

Michaela nodded and started to fade from view her gaze locked with her father's as she left and a little girl appeared sitting on the floor clapping her hands.

'Daddee.' She cooed putting her arms up to her daddy, 'Daddee.'

'Hey baby girl.' Dean whispered and picked her up, 'you are Daddy's special girl you know that?'

'Unc Sammee?' Mickie smiled toothily, 'no owies.'

S—D

Dean paced the waiting room with Mickie snuggled against his shoulder sleeping soundly, her thumb fixed firmly in her mouth and tiny dribbles of baby drool leaked from the corner of her lips down his shoulder.

Three hours had passed since they took Sam to surgery, with no word he was starting to get more than impatient. The only thing that has kept him calm is the presence of his little girl. He couldn't stop thinking of the visit from Mickie as an adult, she looked so much like both him and Sam, it was weird, but there was something about her, something almost angelic. 'What do you do Mickie? I knew you were special but baby girl you are one in a million.' He whispered as he brushed his cheek on her downy soft hair. 'But darlin' we're so gonna talk about that car your Uncle Bobby gives you. A guy magnet huh? I guess you're like your old man in that department and looks like there's nothing of your mother in you. Thank God.'

'Dean?' Bobby handed him a cup of coffee, 'want me to take her for a while?'

'Thanks she's getting quite a weight now.' Dean sighed with relief, his arm instantly feeling lighter.

'She's an angel though Dean, so I guess she grows up despite having a dad like you.' Bobby chuckled.

'Yeah well Uncle Bobby you and me we're so gonna talk about that car you give her.' Dean growled enjoying the playful banter. 'And quit teaching her to drive when you're babysitting.'

'Exactly what did that girl of yours tell yer?' Bobby hugged the sleeping toddler a little tighter, 'I wouldn't do that yer eedjit.'

'Yeah right old man, you'd do it coz she's gonna have ya wrapped around her pinkie.'

'She already has.' Bobby mumbled refusing to meet Dean's cocky stare.

'Uncee Sammee.' Mickie cried out and sat up staring at her uncle and then at her father, 'Uncee Sammee bet-ta.'

'Mickie?' Dean blinked in shock at his daughter and then looked over at the door as Lewis came in with a big smile on his face.

'For once I have good news guys.' He beamed, 'Sam came through the surgery without a hitch, the implants are in and as soon as he's awake and coherent we'll test them.'

'Wow and the drug?'

'No residual affects by the look of it, it's almost out of his system we're giving him another blood transfusion just to build up his strength.' Lewis grinned down at the giggling toddler, 'whatever she did, I don't understand but I can honestly say that your brother is going to be well on his way back to full health, physically anyway.'

'Thanks doc for everything.' Dean said his voice thick with emotion. He tried to block out the memories of his and Sam's assaults from Merci and Cornase, it was time to go forward not to dwell in the past. Physically shaking himself he took his daughter back from Bobby and went to sit down, all of a sudden he felt so tired.

'Daddee?' Mickie pressed her chubby little hands on his face and stared up into his eyes, 'Daddee sads?'

'Just tired baby girl just tired.' Dean said as he hugged her and buried his face in her soft hair breathing in the scent that was his daughter.

S—D

Sam sat up in his bed his head swathed in white bandages, he watched Dean pace the room impatiently, Mickie play with her teddy on the floor at Bobby's feet and then his gaze fell on the older man as he snoozed lightly in the chair under the window. He had had a late night with Maggie the night before and wasn't used to it.

'Dean you're going to wear a hole in the floor.' Sam spoke finally gaining his brother's attention.

'Huh? What's taking em so long Sam, they're late.'

'Only a couple of minutes, will you sit down you're making me dizzy.' Sam said with a small smile.

With a huff Dean sat down and picked his daughter up giving her a ride on his jiggling knee.

'Hi Sam, Dean.' Lewis said brightly coming into the room carrying a clipboard and a thick file. 'So how's the patient?'

'Wanting to get out of here.' Sam grumbled.

'So let's test the implants, Doctor Owens is on his way.'

'Hey Bobby you awake there?' Dean patted the older man's knee and when he didn't get a response he stood up and placed Mickie on Bobby's knee, giggling she started to give him sloppy kisses until he woke with a start and grumble.

'Wha? Dean!' Bobby grumbled but couldn't help smiling at the little girl tugging at his beard. 'Hey little One.'

A tall and thin man came striding into the room with a flurry of student doctors around him, 'so this is Samuel Scott awake I see.'

'Sam this is Doctor Owens he did the surgery.' Lewis explained making sure that Sam could read his lips.

'Well young man let's see if this worked.' The older doctor gave Sam a smile and instantly made his patient relax slightly. 'Alright gather around everyone but don't block the family of our patient, I have heard of his brother's temper.'

Dean said opened-mouthed at the surgeon, and then laughed he liked the man. 'Nice to meet you too Doc.'

'So anyone care to start?' Doctor Owens turned his smile into a glare as he looked around at the students with a menacing stare. 'Burkitt.'

'Ah yes Sir, twenty-four year old man, severe hearing loss after ah abuse.'

'Good next?' Owens turned his piercing blue stare to a young woman clutching her notebook tightly to her, 'Wilson what else?'

'Umm micro-implants were placed and he was brought out of an induced coma.'

'Today is the first testing of his implants.' An eager faced young man finished for her, he gazed up at Doctor Owens with expectations.

'Yes well let's see how we're going.' Owens looked over to Sam, Lewis had removed the bandages while he was quizzing his students. Sam watched the doctors moving around him with mixed feelings of dread and a tiny amount of hope. He shifted his gaze to his brother and niece and took strength from them; startled he jumped slightly when Lewis put a hand on his shoulder and got him to look back to the doctors, 'okay Sam we're going to switch the implants on and do some tests.' Owens said and watched Sam studiously reading his lips. He worked in silence for a few moments adjusting a few switches and checked the readouts before he touched Sam's arm, 'Sam I need you to close your eyes; I know you can lip read and I need to know if you are truly hearing anything, and not rely on your reading anything.'

'Kay.' Sam whispered and tried calm himself as he shut his eyes, his hands clutched at his sheets, twisting his long fingers in the thin material.

Dean came over to stand next to Sam's bed; Mickie watched everything with wide eyes for a small child she seemed intuitive enough to remain silent during the tests.

The oppressive weight of silence made Sam want to scream, he couldn't hear or see anything and the sense of isolation started to choke him.

A buzzing and strange noises sounded and Sam winced, sure that it was Cornase playing games with him again, slowly though, the sounds changed and lowered in volume. He cocked his head to his left as he tried to workout what it was when he heard a strange voice in the distance.

'Sam?' the voice spoke again this time a little clearer and he shifted his head and turned to the direction the voice came from. 'Sam can you hear me?'

'De-Dean?' Sam cried out desperately needing his brother's touch as panic set in, he didn't know the voice. 'Dean?'

'Sam hey dude calm down it's okay.' Dean's voice sounded like it was coming through a really bad cell phone connection. 'Sammy?'

'De-Dean?' Sam took a deep breath and concentrated on listening to his brother's voice, 'say something else.'

'Sammy dude, we are so going out and getting drunk after this.' Dean said with a big toothy grin forming as he saw Sam's smile start of its own accord. 'What ya think bitch?'

'Jerk.' Sam replied his voice thick with unshed emotions.

'Be-i-tch.' Mickie gurgled out clapping her hands.

'Uhhuh baby you don't say that word.' Dean chided her gently.

'J-yerk.' She added clapping her hands happily.

'She's your daughter Dean.'

'She's your niece Sam.' The two brothers spoke in unison. Sam opened his eyes and grinned at his brother and then he turned his head slowly and a little stiffly to face the doctors, 'thank you.'

'We've still got a way to go and your hearing may not become one hundred percent again but we'll get it as close as we can.' Owens patted Sam's arm and turned to usher his students out of the room. 'I'll see you tomorrow morning.'

S—D

Later in the day, Dean watched his baby brother and his baby daughter sleeping contentedly in the hospital bed both worn out from the events of the day. Dean scrubbed at his face and stretched his aching back. He so wanted to sleep but he knew that Cornase was still lurking and he couldn't afford to slacken off not now.

'Git some sleep boy, I'll watch over ya'll.' Bobby said coming back into the room, he looked rested and tidy, after a shower, sleep and a decent meal. 'I know I can't get yer to go sleep at the motel so got the next best thing.' Amanda came in with a foldout bed just behind Bobby followed by Maggie armed with pillows and blankets. 'And we aint taking no as an answer.'

'Bobby…'

'Nope yer gonna sleep or we'll git the doc to give ya something.' Bobby threatened Dean and then gave a contented humph when the younger man eased himself onto the freshly made bed and instantly fell asleep.

Az appeared briefly and left food and milk for Mickie before vanishing again she had placed herself on a supernatural stakeout. She had found the lair Cornase was using where he sulked and waited for the Winchesters to leave the warded room.

Az was not going to let him out of her sight, leaving her own spies to watch when she popped in and out of the hospital room.

S—D

Two weeks later, Sam sat in a wheelchair with Mickie perched on his knee and Dean pushing them haphazardly through the hospital to the front entrance. They were going to meet up with Lewis and Maggie at the clinic, after the young doctor gave Sam tentative discharge papers, he still wanted him as a patient at the clinic but for now he could leave the hospital.

Sam chuckled softly and ran his fingers through Mickie's hair, he felt stronger for the first time in a long time and no longer so alone. A lot of sounds still seemed distorted but Sam could clearly hear the words spoken to him now but he still had to concentrate on background noises to distinguish them.

'What's so funny dude?' Dean asked squeezing Sam's shoulder gently.

'Nothing, just feels good to be outta there.' Sam glanced over his shoulder and smiled up at his brother, 'and to hear … I wish I could have thanked the adult Mickie.'

'Ah remember she wants to be called Michaela… Sammy.'

'Yeah, Dean what about Cornase he's still out there.'

'He'll keep, we get you fixed and we'll be on the road again in no time.' Dean said as he looked for Bobby and the impala.

'What about Mickie though Dean? Az seems to have disappeared.' Sam cradled Mickie closer, the toddler happily indulging her uncle and rested her head on his shoulder, her fingers twisted in his shirt.

'We'll work it out, so hey here comes your ride.' Dean said relieved that, that conversation had been interrupted, he worried non-stop for the animal spirit she never answered any calls and there were no more signs of her since her last visit to the hospital.

'Dean?' Sam reached up to grasp Dean's arm with his free hand.

'Yeah dude?' Dean crouched down next to the wheelchair and looked at his brother, taking in the gauntness of Sam's face and almost transparency of his flesh.

'Just, thanks dude for not … for not giving up on me.'

'You're so not doing a chick-flick moment here and now are ya?'

'Nope, never would do that to you.' Sam grinned cheekily and then sobered slightly. 'I'm scared Dean, we have no idea where Cornase is, and what about Merci what if she comes back? Michaela changed things back and Cornase is not gonna be happy.'

'Sammy can you still hear him in your head?' Dean asked glancing up at the concerned look Bobby gave them and gave him a small hand signal to wait a second.

'Sam?'

'No, no it's weird if anything there's nothing but buzzing now.' Sam frowned and shook his head, 'I – I know that he's gone from in here.' He brushed his fingers on his temple. 'And I know that Michaela got rid of that parasitic drug thing for me but … I dunno maybe it's hard to believe that things are going right for now anyway.'

'Yeah I understand exactly Sammy,' Dean said, 'but hey remember who has your back and what an awesome young woman Mickie turns into, so it can't be too bad in oh twenty years or so.'

'Nice Dean, so it's gonna take twenty years for things to actually go right for us?'

'We gotta do what we do, don't look too far into the future and don't dwell on the past. We just live each day as they come.'

'Wow very insightful Dean I'm impressed.'

'Yeah well don't get too cocky bitch.'

'As if … jerk.' Sam smiled, he waited for Dean to settle Mickie in her car seat, for the briefest of a second, he thought he saw a glimmer of black eyes watching him, but when he blinked, they were gone and Dean was standing in front of him ready to help him.

**End for now.**

**Author's endnote:** I have no idea about the intricate details of bionic-ear implants or any micro implants; this was all made up out of my warped imagination so please forgive me if there are any glaring medical discrepancies.


End file.
